Research Inquiry (Process)

On my last project, Evils in Pandora's Box, I explored and experimented with the concept of frustration in design. The objectives of the project were to promote empathy, open-mindedness, and understanding as ways to counteract the negative effects of frustration. This exploration is a part of life, a process of growing up, as we all encounter these 'Evils' and eventually overcome them. The project also encourages the audience to seek the truth behind. Therefore, the project includes many subtle details in the deliverables. However, the project's standpoint was rooted in my introspective journey of transforming frustrations into an artistic expression that elicits a profound sense of resonance. As a result, it succeeded in creating a sense of resonance with the audience through the satirical narrative portrayal of these 'Evils'.

However, for the upcoming project, I maintain my focus in alignment with the Statement of Intent constructed in the first part of the Graduation Project Part 1, which centers on "utilizes human emotions, feelings and desires to create a sense of resonance," within the project's context. As I've brought back many unpleasant memories to construct my last project, I would like to explore in discourse with the concept of happiness, the true happiness beyond capitalism and temptations.

Additionally, the reason of this approach was inspired from the sharing by a quinquagenarian married couple, which they shared their perspective of the choices they've made in their life, career path, and the purpose of being perseverance in their work that they both found passionate about for 32 years.

Constructing the Basis

Just like every project, I've questioned myself a lot of questions to find the directions, ideations and approaches. The questions I asked can be categorized into general and specific:

General Questions:

1. What is the true nature of happiness?

2. What purpose does happiness serve?

3. What is the objective of seeking happiness?

4. What are the various factors that can contribute to achieving happiness?

5. Does happiness relate to cultural factors such as influence, conditioning, and variations between Western and Asian perspectives?

6. Why is happiness often more attainable in childhood compared to adulthood?

7. Is there a connection between wealth and happiness?

Specific Questions:

1. Why do most people struggle to make a living from their passions? What obstacles hinder them?

2. Are discussions about happiness always linked to positive or elevated moods?

3. What if an individual finds happiness in activities that could cause physical, emotional, or mental harm to themselves or others?

4. What leads to tragic events occurring after periods of happiness?

5. Is happiness related to having fewer expectations of others?

6. Is it necessary to share one's happiness with others?

7. Is the pursuit of desires a factor in experiencing happiness?

8. Is there a correlation between happiness and creativity?

9. What are the differences between genuine happiness and artificial or superficial happiness?

10. What used to bring me happiness but no longer does?

11. Have there been any changes or contrasts between the past and the present regarding what makes me happy?

12. What currently brings me happiness?

13. How is happiness currently shaping my life?

From then, my perspectives was structured based on answering questions, I think that: - Happiness can be differentiated as temporary and meaningful

- Happiness doesn't need to solely adhere positivity context as emotions are interrelated

- Realization from overcoming struggles show prominent feeling of happiness

- Different stages of life have different definition of happiness

- Nonsense or stupid things usually helps to elevate mood fast

In this phase, I've constructed my contextualize inquiry: "I want to reflect about my happiness in different stages of life, and how these contrast can be a form of visual storytelling which inspires, motives or bring a smile to others."

Amendments after Research

As I've constructed the initial contextual inquiry based on my perspective reflected upon the questions, it's best to have researches which can supports my perspective or can change my perspectives.

Primary Research:

In-depth interviews with people from different background, environments, and age. Along with the aim of:

• Discover the relation between their true happiness and their stages of life

• How they come to a realization of their true happiness

• Are there any underlying purpose through their true happiness

Interviewee

Interviewee 1: A quinquagenarian married couple took risks in their early life and decided to pursue the path that they both passionate

Interviewee 2: A sexagenarian mother realization of her bad marriage and bases her own happiness on her own children

Interviewee 3: A tricenarian woman happy for freedom because of the oppression of family position and responsibilities

The primary research also include my own reflection of the life struggles of the transition from teenager to young adult has been leading to a specific purpose based on cumulative happiness from self and others

Secondary Research

Provide better understanding or supporting findings based of the gathered insights. The research context involved:

• True Happiness

• True Happiness in Different Stages of Life

• Levels of Happiness Change as We Age

• Correlation of Happiness and Mortality

• Cultural Context Differentiation

• Philosophical and Theoretical Perspectives on True Happiness

• Passion and Purpose

• Relation to Current Issues

• Relation to Money

Findings and Insights

1. The definition of true happiness differs from one another, effected with various variables, such as different stages of life, background and environment.
   

2. “Stay true to yourself”, “Self-Improvement”, “Having a Purpose” & “Soulful Interactions” are the keys of true happiness
   

3. True happiness comes easily in different stages of life, depends on our perspective of how we feel it, level of contentment and the disturbance of capitalism and temptations can affect us gradually along with the cognitive bias tends to shape human behavior, wherein individuals have a propensity to remember negative experiences more vividly than positive ones. Because of this, we tend to assume we are not happy because we typically overwhelmed with stressed from responsibilities in adulthood compared to adolescence which responsibilities are not much of our worries.
   

4. True happiness and be a cumulative along with the previous stages of life or from realization on life struggles, challenges, mistakes or failures.
   

5. Money doesn’t included in the context of true happiness. Money indeed can contribute to happiness when it helps us meet basic needs, but it doesn’t yield more happiness other than satisfying materialistic desires and basic living needs.

From the gathered insights and findings, the basis of the project are much more refined. However, I've also refined the questions and headings which will help to portray the objectives of the project, these key elements will help to construct the design concept later on

Key Questions

a. Does happiness always have to be tied to a positive mood portrayal?

b. Why is it easy to be happy in childhood, but somehow hard in adulthood?

c. What is the meaningful happiness that can affect us to find a purpose?

d. Is there any relation between money and happiness?

Key Headings

a. “Money can brings happiness”; “Money is the root of all evil”

b. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”; “All play and no work makes Jack a poor boy”

From it, I've refined my contextualize inquiry: "I want to explore the concept of true happiness with design, how it can set as a reminder for myself and encourage others to think about it too."

Originally, the project began as a personal exploration of happiness throughout different life stages, with the goal of turning these insights into a visual story that could inspire, motivate, or bring smiles to others. However, as I delved into research and thought more deeply, it became clear that happiness means different things to different people at various stages of life. I realized that what makes me happy may not necessarily resonate with my audience, leading to a lack of clarity in the project's message.

As a result, I decided to refine the project's focus. The new direction involves using design to explore the complex concept of true happiness. This serves a dual purpose: first, to encourage a wider audience to think about what happiness means to them, and second, to remind myself to keep pondering this important theme personally.