Developing positive design with innovative thinking framework: A design pedagogical approach to enhance subjective well-being

Design thinking is the foundation of professional design education, and the shift from zero to professional design skill involves the completion of the transition from single-mindedness to independent and innovative thinking. In this exploratory study on design teaching, we build a novel teaching model by drawing on the connection between students' self-transcendent knowledge and formal knowledge in design thinking. Based on the Design for Happiness framework (DfH), this study uses Positive Emotional Granularity cards (PEG) to stimulate students to identify and categorize various positive emotions. We matched 15 furniture-related positive emotion keywords, summarized the corresponding design strategies, and subsequently generated Design for Happy Furniture cards (DfHF). We looked at new structural reorganizations of design teaching resources and effective teaching models and examples that might be used in course delivery. This study used the USE scale for quantitative analysis and triangulation for qualitative data analysis. The results indicate that this method is crucial for making it easier to convert design ideas into practice and for enhancing the efficiency of instructional techniques in a specific design procedure. The bottom-up approach is beneficial for creating sets of cards and design strategies, as well as for utilizing the cards in innovative ways to enhance students' creativity, engagement, and self-efficacy. DfHF cards are a valuable tool for promoting motivation and facilitating the constructive learning of creative skills. They not only improve students' creative thinking abilities but also expedite the design decision-making process and prioritize emotional integration and user well-being.