Still in its infancy

Abstract

This paper introduces a design approach for co-wellbeing. We exemplify how design enables designers to facilitate a meaningful interaction between two diverse groups of people with different pleasures, needs, concerns, strengths and virtues. Given that people meet each other constantly in daily interactions, it is relevant to look at these social interactions from a Positive Design perspective, which has hardly been done before. In the presented approach, the perspectives of both parties are studied separately first, before aligning them to create one positive experience that is meaningful for both. The identification of ‘co-experience states’ is essential in this process, to give the designer insight into why certain complications and matches during mutual interactions occur, and how design can be used to achieve co-wellbeing among the two parties. This approach is demonstrated in a research and design case of parents and toddlers (1,5 up to 3 years old). It builds on existing knowledge in the field of Positive Design and design for co-experience, and intends to support and inspire designers in their aim to design for the subjective wellbeing of diverse user-groups in interaction.