Positive Design Reference Guide

The Positive Design Reference Guide focuses on the why, what and how of human experience – both in general, and in relation to design for well-being. The guide provides you with a quick entry point into the variety of theories that we believe can be relevant for well-being-driven design. It comprises 29 models, theories and frameworks, separated into two sections. The first section presents a collection of theories drawn from (positive) psychology, and the second section presents a collection of theories and frameworks drawn from (positive) design research.

Each theory is introduced with a short summary and a list of key publications that offer more extensive explanations. You are likely to be familiar with some of the theories, but will perhaps also discover some new ones. We warmly invite you to explore its use in your design practice.