In recent years, many theories and models have been concerned with optimally adapting products and services to the later user during the development process (see e.g. user-centred design). In this context, the demands of users and how products or services are used have been analysed in detail. However, these expectations generally relate to the product and how it is used. Half the way to the user is covered, so to speak, but not the whole way. User wishes and expectations can and should also be considered on a deeper level: Especially in today's world, quality of life and the creation of meaning play an increasingly important role. People strive for satisfaction, both in their actions and in their consumer behaviour. Behind many consumption decisions there are therefore abstract ideas that, from a user's point of view, improve his or her quality of life.

Produkt + Markt has recognised the significance and importance of quality of life and has developed a new method to enrich the innovation process with impulse cards on the topic of quality of life. It was determined exactly what makes people happy, both in the abstract and in the concrete sense. For this purpose, the medium was chosen on which positive emotions and situations are shared with other people nowadays: Social Media. A theory-based search mask, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) model for quality of life and refined in an iterative process, was used to search for relevant social media posts.

Impulses were identified in the social media posts and these were then elaborated into impulse cards so that the striving for (more) quality of life can be tapped as a relevant motivation level. The cards contain impulses that help to increase the quality of life of users. This method can be used retrospectively to understand and classify the success of already existing products and services, as well as in the innovation process to provide valuable suggestions for developing creative ideas. The impulse cards significantly enrich and accelerate the development process of ideas that have quality of life as their objective. Through this acceleration and enrichment, a strong user centricity can be achieved. The focus on quality of life can also be anchored in the corporate philosophy. This gives employees a clear purpose that can also be communicated externally.

Quality of life is not just a concept for idealists and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Especially in the drugstore sector, there are courageous and very successful pioneers who focus strongly on the happiness and quality of life of customers. But also various companies from retail, insurance and the food industry have recognised the importance of these concepts for themselves. Of particular note here is Feel Good Coffee, a young, up-and-coming start-up company from the coffee industry that is trying to combine the preparation of the best coffee beans with sustainability and convenience. In a workshop, Produkt + Markt and founder Marcus Berthold combined the existing basic concept with impulses from the Quality of Life Impulse Cards. Marcus Berthold recorded his impressions in a video after the workshop.

The impulse cards described here can be used to provide valuable creative impulses in the innovation process. But they can also help to understand why existing products and services have an impact on quality of life.

If you are interested in the short presentation Heiner Junker gave on quality of life impulse cards at the Research + Results Fair 2018, or if you would like to have sample impulse cards sent to you, please feel free to contact us at impulskarten@produktundmarkt.de.

P.S.: For those interested in coffee, Marcus Berthold reports here once again on what has become of the start-up Feel Good Coffee and what philosophy they themselves pursue: