One Of 4th year studio

Positive Design, Design for Happiness
Instructor: Elisha Tal

Design for Happiness—what does it mean, is it even possible, and why does it matter?

Aristotle famously stated that happiness is the ultimate goal of human life. So the question of how design can promote happiness is not only fascinating - it is essential. During the course, we will delve deeply into this topic and seek well-founded and convincing answers.

In recent decades, our material well-being has improved significantly - we have more and better products than ever before. The products around us solve problems, make our lives more comfortable and safer, and certainly make us feel good. But when we examine levels of happiness and emotional well-being, we discover a complex picture, and even deterioration. As designers, we face a paradox: on one hand, design promises to improve users’ lives, but in practice, the effect is often temporary and quickly fades. So, can we design for a different result?

Design for Happiness is an innovative field based on positive psychology, aiming to directly influence users’ long-term emotional well-being. In the course, we will explore what science says about happiness and learn how to translate these insights into more meaningful products and designs.

Since happiness is a personal and subjective experience, we will first explore the topic within ourselves: We will design a personal product and examine how it promotes genuine, lasting emotional well-being for you personally.