Marja Kuronen (MA) is conducting doctoral research building on her master's theses topics: Investigating how design thinking and systemic thinking practices can be applied in the development and redesign of funeral services and processes. The aim is to identify practices that lead to more inclusive and egalitarian ways of conducting funeral services and practices and to promote well-being, even during the grieving process. She is interested in systemic design, user experience design and futures design.

Kuronen has a strong background in the field of digital services and has worked for 15 years as a UX/UI and service designer for various IT companies. At the moment, she works as a senior service designer for Vincit plc. Her work includes business and service design, end-user research and workshop facilitation. Additionally, Kuronen utilizes the scientific findings of her research beyond academia in her work as a consultant. Furthermore, her contributions at work can be utilized in her research, for example in the facilitation of study groups.

keywords: design thinking, systemic thinking service design, co-design, funerals, death rituals, burial, user-centric research, future research, sensitive target groups