Rediscovering The Joy Of Design — Smashing Magazine

Joy is pure happiness, looking at your child, getting a surprise birthday party, visiting a family member after a long time, or visiting a scenic route. It is the most pleasurable feeling you can ever get.

Socrates established two points about happiness (joy):

• Happiness is what all people desire: since it is always the end (goal) of our activities, it is an unconditional good.
• Happiness does not depend on external things but rather on how those things are used.

Designers forge experiences based on many parameters set by businesses but often forget the happiness gained by indulging in the creation process, and that is the second point Socrates mentioned. So, if there is no joy, the designers must rediscover themselves.

The path to rediscovery starts with being mindful, introspective, and forward-looking. It will help designers evaluate where they lack and cover those bases to be better at their craft. They also have to keep in mind the level of control they have over the designs, especially with business inputs, technical constraints, and aspects beyond their control. The desired outcome could be completely different than...