Design for Well-Being

This paper is a research through design approach (Zimmerman et al 2007), that seeks to reflect upon several designerly practices in action. Chiefly it’s concerned with describing the development of a web-service with collaborative media elements, as part of a user-centred design process, to support physiotherapy patients during their self-directed recovery. The report also reflects on a failed first design attempt, and draws through that reflection describes the way I now choose to operate as a designer. The paper proposes a new definition of design for well-being which draws upon and combines work by Dodge et al (2012) and Miller & Kälviäinen (2006). Finally, the report also proposes a series of further steps to take in the futures to develop the web-service