Next Guideline of “Making”

Next Guideline of “Making”

2 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/organisationsthat 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.

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.

How it was made? 3

4 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 5

12 Happiness Triggers

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

6 Environment

2. Connect

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

©AP Picture

Connect 7

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

8 Positive Escape

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

Openness 9

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

10 Spontaneous

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

Kindness 11

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

12 Success

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.

Challenge 13

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

14 Learning

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

First time 15

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.

16 Special

12. Physical Activities

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

Physical Activities 17

©Shintaro (shintaro.co.uk)

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 achievebecause you need a certain luck to encounter or hear these eventsthat 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 ownhappiness trigger. The more you know your happiness triggers,the more you can create your own happiness.

18 Types of happiness

all rights reserved. © Eri Tsutsumi 2012