Three levels of happiness in user experience design

Mindfulness in design is about a pleasing awareness. In relationships, it can mean infatuation. It's knowing that this is good, it makes me happy. It's satisfying.

Flow, from work done by MihalyCsikszentmihalyi, comes from immersion, absorption, the beta waves rocking the brain so you forget about the task you're doing to become one with what is happening. There's no time between tool time and goal time.

Meaning comes from a feeling of fellowship, contributing, and making the world a better place. As I say, I didn't make this up. Most of these ideas come from Martin Seligman, with help from Don Norman, and Stuart Brown. (Read to the end of the newsletter for links to sources from them that inspired me). It occurred to me after studying them and watching users perform with designs, that there was a connection there.

Great framework for thinking about brand and UX design....