Is design delightful? An examination of design students' emotions when designing

This research examines the emotional experiences of design students as they progress through a design project. The study presents how different emotions manifest themselves in the students' design processes, offering insights into whether the students' design experience is ‘pleasurable’ or otherwise, and beyond this, the spectrum of emotions that design students experience overall. Findings reveal a common positive emotional experience amongst students despite their very different backgrounds and cultures. The initial results show that positive emotions can be generated by the design project topic, which in turn has an important impact on the design process and the student’s performance. The research suggests that the emotional aspect should be considered and improved as an influential factor in the design process. Also, exploring various emotions should be investigated in more detail in studies to enhance the design education experiences that support students' emotional well-being while designing.