LEARNING THROUGH DESIGN FOR WELLBEING
Year: 2016
Editor: Erik Bohemia, Ahmed Kovacevic, Lyndon Buck, Christian Tollestrup, Kaare Eriksen, Nis Ovesen
Author: Pavel, Nenad; Skjelbred, Bente
Series: E&PDE
Institution: Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
Section: Creativity
Page(s): 108-113
ISBN: 978-1-904670-62-9
Abstract
This article studies designed objects as mediums for personal development, along with the learning
outcomes of designing these objects. Design for wellbeing aspires to aid people’s transformation from
their current to their desired state of being, regardless of their capabilities. The important aspect of
wellbeing is personal development, the conscious pursuit of personal growth by expanding selfawareness
and knowledge and improving personal skills. There is a need to study how products for
wellbeing can facilitate users’ learning to change from their current state to a state of wellbeing. This
article aims to discuss the perspective of personal growth and development through learning by the use
of design to achieve this transformation. This case study includes archival studies to analyse the designed solutions presented in bachelor
degree projects under the Department for Product Design at Oslo and Akershus University College of
Applied Sciences in 2015. The designed objects are studied to learn how the students intended to
stimulate the users’ learning processes. These qualities are then discussed from different instructional
design perspectives. The perspectives of behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism are used to
explain how designers can influence users’ learning to guide them to their desired state of being.
Keywords: Well-being, personal development, instructional design, design process.