Next Guideline of “Making”
Next Guideline of “Making”
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What is this for?
When you look around, most of things around us are made by us, human beings. Countries, laws, languages, buildings, roads, schools, trains, grocery stores, clothes, cutleries, resorts, internet, etc. They are all human made products. Although we are such “makers” of things on this planet, we currently do not have any guideline of making things. My proposal is to create this next guideline of “making” by crowdsourcing, accumulating “ideas of happiness” from many people. If we had an idea of what would make people happy at the first place, we could involve these “essences of happiness” in this new product. Then this new product will consequently have higher possibilities to bring happiness to the world. My original intention of creating this booklet was to propose this idea to social design agencies. However, as I move on my research, I realised that this idea could be applied to anyone or any companies/organisations that are involved in making. For instance, if you were a politician, you could involve them in your policies. If you were a product designer, you could develop products based on these essences. If you were a shopkeeper, you would realise ways to make your customers more happy. If you were a project manager, you would know happier way of developing a project as well as delivering a project. I simply love the stuff that makes me happy. Let’s make more happy stuff.
How it was made?
I have conducted an Internet qualitative research about happiness, asked more than 100 people to share their happy experience happened in London. From the stories I have collected, I extracted the keywords that made people happy in order to find out the essences of happiness. Although each experience is unique, there are certain circumstances that made not only one person but also many people happy. I named these “happiness triggers� which are the reasons to provoke happiness in many people. In this booklet, these 12 happiness triggers are introduced with some real happy experiences people shared that are relevant to each trigger. I am aware of the fact that many scholars and thinkers have mentioned, happiness only comes from within and therefore whether we feel happy or not heavily depends on our internal mindset. However, from my research, I have found that the external factors, which social design might be able to provide in the society, could also contribute to people’s happiness.
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How can I use it?
You can use this as a guideline to make sure your project entails the triggers to make people happy at the end. Reading the real happy experiences behind is also useful when you need a positive idea jump!
At a co-design workshop, you can use this guidebook for participants to think holistically. It helps people to put themselves in other people’s shoes, try to think from a larger perspective.
Happiness Triggers
12 Happiness Triggers
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Environment
1. Environment
Many people felt happy when they are surrounded by the environment that has... - Stimulation on five senses. Sunbathing, Laying down on a grass, Hearing the sound of wind, Seeing the flowers blooming, Having great food and drinks. - Big space where you can feel dynamic vibes of the city Walking along the thames river, Being in richmond park, Going to the Waterloo Bridge. - Water Walking along the river or canal, Running along the canals, Going to swimming pool - Green surroundings Going to the park, garden, rooftop garden. - Music Listening to live music, Encountering with street music, Listening to favourite music on ipod while running - History Old wooden floor, Traditional old pub, Architecture from hundreds of years ago, London landmarks - Interaction with people Going to street markets, Feeling the friday night vibes, Being at football stadium
Connect
2. Connect
ŠAP Picture
Many people felt happy when they have an emotional connection with... - Friends Sharing jokes and topics that are private, Understanding each other without a help of language, Having farewell party and birthday party - Strangers Sharing jokes with a stranger from a different background, Sharing the same interests with a person you just met, Having told compliments on what you are wearing by a stranger, Sharing food and drinks, Stranger gives you hand on something - Place When you know the way around the city, Seeing the same scenery with many people at the same time (For example, fireworks) Seeing London landmarks - Community Greeting the neighbours at the pub, Talking to someone every morning at the same place, Having BBQ with neighbours, Talking to shopkeepers about life while buying a bag of crisps. - Memory Views that reminds of literature or movie that you have read/ seen before, Views that reminds of the place you have visited before
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Positive Escape
3. Positive Escape
Many people felt happy when they are able to have positive escapes to... - Somewhere Private Having a place to think about self and the world, past and future, Being able to have time to develop my own idea, Having a place to wash away frustrations without reflecting negative energy, Somewhere to find balance and reset, Sometimes you want to be behind the scene of urban society - Somewhere Relaxing Walking in a small village which felt like holiday, Sun and blue sky (They are like switch), Finding street performer who could make me laugh after a long day, Business people start drinking around 5pm in front of pubs, Finding very old cobble stoned street,Discovering new graffitti in shoreditch, Seeing blossom trees from a bus, Visiting street market which is far from workplace
Openness
4. Openness
Many people felt happy when the city is open to,,, - Different cultures Feeling the diversity, Different tastes and attitudes, Meeting someone from different background, Seeing the variety in the street market, Strangers smiling, Hearing a friend having two totaly different jobs - Imperfection Being Casual, Doing free act, Playing music selflessly, Teenage boys start singing impromptu in the bus, “Live and let live feelings� of London - Anyone Pubs are always there and open, museums and galleries are there for free, Endless possibilities of Friday night, Shops are open till late, Street market allows you to walk about here and there, Happy children running around and playing, Seeing open-minded friendly faces, Feeling the city of possibilities
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Spontaneous
5. Spontaneous
Many people felt happy when they encounter spontaneous events which include... - A Surprise Tough looking guy with tattoo helping a blind old man (Breaking the stereotypes), Seeing a rainbow, A lady having two different types of jobs, Strangers greeting, Surprise encounter, Random event, Talking with a strangers in a queue, Receiving a surprise package, Seeing the show that I wanted by chance, Free meal by chance, Friend proposed at a station - A Discovery Seeing a fox on the street, Getting lost and found a cool graffiti on the street, Finding a tiny street by accident, Finding unexpected food fair, Feeling the serendipity
Kindness
6. Kindness
Many people felt happy when they... - Encounter or see someone’s kindness Recieving the word “Thank you”, Stranger showed me a way, Generous gestures, Someone helped me carrying my luggages, Friendly people on the street, Someone letting me know when my bike was about to get stolen, A stranger gave me a ride in the rain, A seller at the market was nice, Lost goods returned - Offer kindness to others Helped a blind man, helped old lady with her bag, Holding a door for the next person, Taking a stressful friend out to walk, Helped a pregnant woman
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Success
7. Success
Many people felt happy when involving the feelings of... - Winning Win my first bet, My favourite football team was winning - Achievement Having my own show, Managed to wake up early to see the sunrise, Trying to find a way and finally found, Being able to do things as planned, Surviving toughness of the city, Positive impact on my work, Friend got a job after a long unemployment period. - Confidence Being a good negotiator, Having skills to make something right for myself, Teaching my son how to ride a bicycle for the first time
Challenge
8. Challenge
Many people felt happy when they... - Hear someone’s challenge Attempts I read or hear about people who try to stop wrong doing or pursue justice, Hearing a friend having two different jobs - Challenge on something Doing a workshop with classmates, Waking up early to see the sunrise * “Challenge” was mentioned as a happiness trigger especially when they had “Success” after their “Challenge”. Although it is hard to recognise “Challenge” as happiness while you are challenging, it absolutely has a great potential to lead happiness.
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Learning
9. Learning
Many people felt happy when they learn... - New knowledge Graduation studies at a university, Learning something new from casual conversations, Knowing how to do good at work, Talking to someone who broadens your mind - New way of doing things Learning how to get around the city, Knowing how to order a secret recipe at a restaurant
First time
10. First time
Many people felt happy when they... - Experience something for the first time Going to unfamiliar places, going to somewhere mysterious, Feeling of discoverng a new place, Meeting with new people, Going to a nice restaurant for the first time - See or hear someone’s first time experience Seeing a baby standing by him/herself for the first time, Hearing a friend having a baby, Hearing a friend starting a new interesting project
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Special
11. Special
Many people felt happy when they have a special experience that... - Only limited people have an access Going to a member’s bar, Getting a free meal, Receiving achievement from a famous artist, Eating a secret recipe at the restaurant - You can only enjoy at a limited place Having great food at a street market which you cannot find anywhere else, Seeing musicals that is exclusive in London, Buying things you cannot buy anywhere else - You can enjoy for a limited time Fine dinner with friends who are visiting for a short time, Seeing a famous DJ playing
people also do enjoy being treated exclusively which is relatively close to the meaning of “Closeness”, Feeling special involves making rules in terms of members, time, and place.
Physical Activities
12. Physical Activities
ŠShintaro (shintaro.co.uk)
Many people felt happy when they engage in physical activities that involves... - Making Cooking cakes, Cooking dinner for friends, Growing vegetables, Gardening, Making artworks, Crafts - Doing Riding a bike around London, Running along the thames, Going to yoga classes, Swimming, Playing football in the park
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Types of happiness
Types of happiness
Passive
Active
There are two types of happiness. First is Passive. Hearing or seeing an event that makes you happy. For example, seeing someone helping a stranger, hearing your friend is graduating from college. Second is more active. Doing something that makes you happy. For example, waking up early to see the sunrise, going to the gym, and showing the way to someone who is lost. Comparing these two types, first one is a bit difficult to achieve because you need a certain luck to encounter or hear these events that make you happy. On the other hand, second type is easier because you just have to do what makes you happy. A Key which I believe here is to know and have ideas of your own happiness trigger. The more you know your happiness triggers, the more you can create your own happiness.
all rights reserved. Š Eri Tsutsumi 2012