Designing Happiness: The Framework Every Product Designer Should Know

Did you know that 86% of products are admirable when user satisfaction is a central focus? Designers today strive to create intuitive and appealing interfaces, all in the name of user comfort.

As human behavior and psychology have matured, it has become clear that user happiness lies far beyond mere usability and aesthetics of design. The most impactful products will be the ones that soothe worries and create peace of mind.

The happiness Framework serves this purpose. It’s a holistic design approach that places the science of human flourishing at the heart of the creative process. 

When a product you build aligns design elements with the psychological comfort of the target audience, it doesn’t just look good but fundamentally improves the lives of those who use it.

If you are a product owner or a design enthusiast eager to gain familiar insights that actively contribute to your product’s happiness index, this article is worth reading. 

What Infuses Wellness and Joy into Product Design?

At Cubix, we follow the PERMA approach in our product design process, which goes beyond creating functional products. Instead, we strive for designs that prioritize clients’ satisfaction, nurture positive experiences, and, above all, promote holistic well-being. 

Psychologist Martin Seligman came up with the PERMA design approach we follow. Each user has unique needs, preferences, and aspirations. This framework offers a powerful lens through which product designers can approach the challenge of creating truly fulfilling experiences.

P – Positive Emotions

At the core of happiness lies cultivating and sustaining positive emotions. As designers, we consider how our products evoke joy, excitement, contentment, and awe. This involves crafting delightful micro-interactions, using vibrant colors and imagery, or incorporating elements of playfulness and whimsy.

E – Engagement

Engagement is the state of being fully absorbed and invested in an activity. When users deeply engage with our products, they lose track of time and experience a sense of flow. To boost engagement, we set clear goals and provide concise feedback mechanisms. This guides users through the experience, helping them feel a sense of progress and accomplishment.

R – Relationships

Relationships are crucial to the sense of fulfillment and happiness. As product designers, we explore ways to facilitate meaningful interactions, enable collaboration, and foster community among users. We aim to empower users to have meaningful connections, share experiences, and support each other for overall well-being. 

M – Meaning

Designing for meaning involves creating experiences that align with users’ values, beliefs, and sense of purpose. By understanding the deeper motivations that drive our users, we can craft truly relevant and impactful products.

A – Accomplishment

The sense of achievement and mastery is a powerful driver of happiness. Product designers should consider how their creations can help users set and achieve meaningful goals, celebrate their successes, and feel a sense of progress and growth.

A Simple Framework for Happy, User-Centric Design

Now you have become familiar with the true components of the PERMA approach, which is the secret sauce behind Cubix’s product design success. Now, the question is, how exactly do we implement it in our design processes?

At Cubix, customer focus is one of our core values. We keep the user at the center of the design process, empathize with their perspective, and create experiences that are truly useful, usable, and delightful. 

Let’s dive into the design process that has allowed us to develop and deliver 1500+ successful projects:

See Things from Your Users’ Eyes

The basics of delightful design lie in a true understanding of your target audience. We put ourselves in the shoes of our users to uncover key insights about them. We create detailed user personas representing your key user segments, documenting their unique characteristics, behaviors, and needs. 

Map Out Your Goals Clearly

We then specify the objectives and outcomes we want to achieve for them. The idea is to pinpoint objectives that are measurable and directly aligned with your users’ needs and pain points. 

For instance, you may aim to increase user satisfaction, reduce security vulnerabilities, or expand your user base. We use these objectives as a north star to guide the design process and measure the success of your solutions.

Don’t Overcomplicate

One of the hallmarks of user-centric design is a relentless focus on simplicity. We make use of clear and concise language, iconography, and information architecture to ensure the experience is easy to navigate and understand. 

We leverage progressive disclosure to reveal advanced features only when needed, keeping the interface clean and focused.

Give Users a Reason to Smile

Our process prioritizes looking for opportunities to inject moments of delight, surprise, and satisfaction throughout the user experience. These small, intricate details can significantly impact user happiness and engagement. 

For some projects, we might add playful animations, personalized content, or unexpected interactions. The end goal always remains to craft a design that meets user needs and brings them true joy and satisfaction.

Maintain a Positive Mindset

A research from The University of Oxford says happy people are 13% more creative, productive, and loyal. At Cubix, our focus is to empower our product design crew to advocate for the user’s perspective and foster a culture of empathy and creativity for enduring satisfaction. 

Remember that the secret to creating creative and cheerful designs is to keep adapting to your users’ needs, empathize with them, and relentlessly pursue experiences that are truly valuable, usable, and delightful.

Make It Better Over Time

Crafting user-centric design is an ongoing process, not a one-time grind. To understand how users respond to the experience, it would help to gather user feedback regularly through surveys, interviews, and usability testing. This allows us to identify areas of improvement to enhance the user experience further. 

To Sum Up

While amateur designers focus entirely on the ‘aesthetic appeal,’ seasoned product designers focus on striking the perfect balance between usability and user satisfaction. At Cubix, our design philosophy is anchored in the belief that designing for happiness can be a true differentiator, setting a product apart as a beacon of positivity and trust.

We at Cubix have a team of 200+ seasoned designers and developers who have been nailing intuitive and delightful experiences over the last 15 years. So, if you have got a project idea and don’t know where to start, you know who can be your perfect partner.

Your users deserve more than functional products—they crave experiences that uplift and empower them. That’s exactly what Cubix offers. Contact us now to work with seasoned designers and developers who can transform ideas into impactful solutions. 

Answering Common Questions

What are the benefits of prioritizing users in your product design framework?

A thoughtful, aesthetic product design will yield outstanding benefits in terms of user satisfaction, brand positioning, and market competitiveness. 

What are the elements of a perfect product design?

A truly exceptional design has several unique elements, including: 

• Simplicity and Intuitiveness
• Flawless & Consistent Design 
• Aesthetics and Branding
• Sustainability Design