Beyond Human-Centered Design: Engineering a Future Focused on Human Well-Being

Engineering has long been guided by principles of precision, efficiency, and innovation. These ideals have driven remarkable technological advancements, yet they also reveal a notable shortcoming. Engineering has historically focused on optimizing functionality and performance, often at the expense of addressing complex human needs related to mental health, well-being, and social connection. This narrow focus is especially concerning when we consider just how profoundly engineering shapes human life. Nearly every aspect of modern existence—from the infrastructure that sustains our communities and the healthcare systems we rely on, to the technology, energy, and transportation that drive daily interactions—is the result of engineering decisions.

In recent years, the concept of “human-centered design” has gained traction, aiming to make engineering more responsive to the needs, abilities, and experiences of people. By prioritizing usability, accessibility, and user experience, human-centered design represents a shift toward more empathetic engineering. However, as I see it, even this approach doesn’t go far enough. By focusing narrowly on user interactions, human-centered design can still overlook broader impacts on social and environmental well-being, as well as the long-term effects on mental health.

To address these limitations, I believe we need a well-being-oriented engineering approach. This framework expands the design focus from individual usability to include the holistic, sustainable well-being of individuals, communities, and ecosystems. Moving beyond usability alone, well-being-oriented engineering aims to create technology and environments that foster mental, social, and environmental health. In doing so, it has the potential to shape a world that supports not only our functional needs but our collective well-being.

The Importance of Understanding Human Needs in Engineering

Despite the profound impact engineering has on human lives, most engineering programs offer little to no training on the people their designs will ultimately serve. Engineers often complete their education without exposure to essential fields like psychology, sociology, or cognitive neuroscience—areas that explore the complexities of human behavior, cognition, and social interaction. Without this foundation, engineers may create solutions that excel technically but overlook how real people experience and interact with those designs.

Cognitive neuroscience, for example, could offer engineers crucial insights into mental processes such as attention, memory, and cognitive load—factors that shape how users engage with technology. Understanding cognitive load helps engineers design systems that reduce mental strain, avoid overwhelming users, and promote intuitive, mentally supportive interactions. Knowledge about attention and memory can guide how information is structured and presented, creating designs that are not only functional but also cognitively accessible and supportive of mental well-being.

Integrating human-focused disciplines into engineering curricula would empower engineers to design with a more comprehensive understanding of human needs. By bridging this knowledge gap, engineers can create solutions that respect the mental and emotional realities of their users, ultimately supporting a well-being-oriented approach that aligns engineering excellence with human-centered values.

The Limitations of Human-Centered Design

In recent years, human-centered design has emerged as a powerful approach to make engineering more aligned with the needs of users. By prioritizing usability, accessibility, and the overall user experience, this framework encourages engineers to think deeply about how individuals interact with technology. This shift has brought many benefits, helping to produce products, systems, and interfaces that are more intuitive, effective, and responsive to user needs. However, as valuable as human-centered design is, its focus on the individual user introduces certain limitations, especially when we consider its implications for holistic well-being.

Human-centered design inherently focuses on optimizing the experience of the immediate user, which can unintentionally narrow the scope to short-term, individual satisfaction. This focus often overlooks larger systemic issues, such as environmental sustainability, social equity, and the broader, long-term impacts on communities and ecosystems. For designs to truly support holistic well-being, engineering solutions need to consider not only the user’s experience but also the ripple effects of technology on society and the environment.

The following examples illustrate some of the ways in which human-centered design, when too narrowly applied, can fall short of supporting long-term, sustainable well-being:

• Environmental Impact: A smartphone optimized for ease of use may meet the needs of its users, but the environmental and social costs of production, from resource depletion to waste, remain hidden from the end-user yet impact communities worldwide. The drive to meet user demands can lead to designs that prioritize convenience at the expense of environmental sustainability, creating waste and depleting resources on a large scale.
• Mental Health and Digital Well-Being: Social media platforms exemplify human-centered design aimed at maximizing user engagement, often at the cost of well-being. While these platforms may be designed to offer an engaging experience, they can also encourage addictive use patterns, leading to mental health issues like anxiety and social isolation. In cases like this, designing strictly for engagement overlooks the consequences on users' mental health and social well-being.
• Short-Term Productivity vs. Long-Term Health: Productivity apps often emphasize features that maximize efficiency and engagement, encouraging users to work longer and harder. But without considering the long-term impact on mental and physical health, these designs can inadvertently contribute to burnout, stress, and cognitive overload. When design is focused solely on short-term user needs, it risks undermining the long-term well-being of its users.

These examples highlight that while human-centered design is valuable, it tends to prioritize short-term user satisfaction over broader, long-term impacts. By expanding our focus to well-being-oriented engineering, we can develop solutions that not only meet immediate user needs but also promote sustainability, equity, and mental health.

The Urgent Need for Well-Being-Oriented Engineering

As technology becomes more integral to our lives, the call for well-being-oriented engineering grows louder. This approach recognizes that engineering shapes not only the functionality of products but also their broader impacts on health, sustainability, and society. Here are key reasons why we must go beyond human-centered design:

• Mental Health and Social Connection: Engineering decisions impact not only individual mental health but also social connection. For example, when digital platforms are designed to encourage constant interaction, they may contribute to cognitive overload and social isolation. Well-being-oriented engineering would aim for balance, prioritizing healthy engagement and promoting mental and social well-being.
• Environmental Sustainability: Engineering choices—from materials to manufacturing processes—can significantly affect the environment. Considering environmental impact from the outset, well-being-oriented engineering would prioritize sustainability, making choices that benefit both the end-user and the planet. This includes adopting sustainable practices, such as renewable resources and minimizing waste, to reduce the environmental footprint of products.
• Social Equity: As technology increasingly influences our world, ensuring equitable access to its benefits is crucial. A well-being-oriented approach considers inclusivity as a priority, accounting for diverse human conditions and cultural backgrounds. Engineers must design technology that is adaptable and accessible to all, thereby reducing disparities in access and enhancing social well-being across varied populations.

Expanding our focus beyond immediate usability, well-being-oriented engineering aims to create solutions that are aligned with the long-term, holistic well-being of individuals and communities.

Principles of Well-Being-Oriented Engineering

Well-being-oriented engineering broadens the design scope, promoting positive impacts across mental, social, and environmental health. Key principles include:

• Prioritizing Mental and Emotional Health: By considering cognitive load, stressors, and mental well-being, engineers can design solutions that encourage balanced use. For instance, digital platforms could incorporate gentle reminders to take breaks, supporting mental health by helping users regulate their interactions with technology. This way, platforms become tools that support well-being rather than drive addiction.
• Supporting Environmental Sustainability: Sustainable sourcing, production, and disposal should be core to any engineering project. By considering environmental impact at every stage—materials, energy use, waste—engineers can develop products that not only serve users but also contribute positively to the ecosystem. This principle reflects a shift from prioritizing efficiency to fostering long-term environmental stewardship.
• Promoting Social and Economic Equity: Inclusive design is essential for well-being. Engineers should design with diverse user conditions and cultural perspectives in mind, creating adaptable, accessible products and systems that promote social well-being across communities. This involves considering not only usability but also the broader social and economic contexts within which people engage with technology.
• Encouraging Meaningful Interactions and Relationships: Beyond usability, well-being-oriented engineering values products and systems that foster positive, enduring relationships. Technologies that encourage face-to-face interaction, balanced digital engagement, and mindful usage can foster stronger social bonds, which are critical for mental and social well-being.

Implementing Well-Being-Oriented Engineering: Strategies and Practices

Moving from human-centered to well-being-oriented engineering involves actionable strategies, including:

1. Integrate Interdisciplinary Knowledge

To create well-being-oriented designs, engineers must go beyond traditional technical training and embrace insights from fields like psychology, sociology, and environmental science. Psychology, for instance, provides valuable perspectives on cognitive load and mental health, helping engineers understand how certain design elements may contribute to stress or relaxation. Using theories like cognitive load management, engineers can craft designs that are intuitive and less likely to overwhelm users, enhancing mental well-being. Sociology also offers critical insights into social behavior, showing engineers how technology shapes interactions and impacts community dynamics.

Environmental science, on the other hand, underscores the importance of sustainable practices by revealing the environmental impact of materials, energy use, and waste. This cross-disciplinary learning allows engineers to make well-rounded design choices that consider well-being on multiple levels. By integrating this broad knowledge base, engineers are better equipped to craft designs that are attuned to the multifaceted needs of users and communities, ultimately supporting a more balanced relationship between people, technology, and the environment.

2. Redefine Success Metrics

Traditional engineering often measures success through efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and technical performance. While these metrics are valuable, well-being-oriented engineering calls for expanding the definition of success to include long-term impacts on health, sustainability, and quality of life. For example, well-being indicators like cognitive load, mental health impact, and environmental footprint can be added to project assessments, providing a fuller picture of a design’s effects. This shift helps engineers prioritize design choices that not only perform well in the short term but also contribute to lasting well-being.

Redefining metrics to include well-being indicators also reinforces a sense of responsibility in engineering. When engineers measure success through metrics that address sustainability, mental health, and social impact, they set a new standard for responsible design. These well-being-focused metrics encourage thoughtful consideration of how a product or system will affect users over time, ensuring that engineering contributes positively to human and ecological health. By adopting these expanded metrics, engineers lead the way in setting ethical, long-term standards for the profession.

3. Embrace Responsible Innovation

Well-being-oriented engineering demands a commitment to responsible innovation, which means carefully evaluating the societal, environmental, and behavioral impacts of technology. This approach emphasizes proactive ethical decision-making, encouraging engineers to consider the broader consequences of their designs before they’re implemented. For example, rather than focusing solely on immediate functionality or marketability, engineers practicing responsible innovation might assess a product’s potential to influence social behaviors, environmental impact, or mental health outcomes.

By embracing responsible innovation, engineers advocate for policies and practices that support sustainable development and well-being over short-term gains. This mindset aligns technology with society’s broader goals, ensuring that innovations benefit society as a whole rather than prioritizing profitability alone. Through this lens, engineers are not only creators but also stewards of ethical progress, using their skills to drive positive, well-being-oriented change in society.

4. Develop Long-Term Evaluation Frameworks

To fully understand the impacts of engineering on well-being, long-term evaluation frameworks are essential. Traditional usability testing often focuses on immediate outcomes, but long-term evaluation reveals trends and consequences that may only emerge after extended use. Gathering feedback over time on elements such as mental health impact, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability provides engineers with insights that go beyond surface-level usability.

These evaluation frameworks allow engineers to monitor and adjust designs based on how they affect users and communities in the long run, ensuring that technology continues to align with well-being goals as needs evolve. This iterative approach not only improves designs over time but also reflects a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation, allowing engineering to remain responsive to the changing landscape of human and ecological well-being.

5. Promote Collaboration Across Disciplines

ollaboration with experts from various fields—psychologists, sociologists, environmental scientists, and policy makers—adds depth and diversity to the design process. Interdisciplinary collaboration enables engineers to incorporate a wider range of perspectives, making their designs more comprehensive and attuned to human and environmental needs. For example, a psychologist can help engineers understand user behavior and cognitive load, while an environmental scientist can provide guidance on sustainable material choices and lifecycle analysis.

This collaborative approach builds a foundation for socially responsible engineering, ensuring that all aspects of well-being are considered. When experts from different disciplines work together, they create designs that reflect a broader understanding of societal challenges and opportunities. By embracing interdisciplinary collaboration, engineers contribute to solutions that are more holistic, supporting human, social, and ecological health in harmony.

Real-World Applications of Well-Being-Oriented Engineering

Well-being-oriented engineering applies a holistic focus on mental, social, and environmental health across diverse fields. From enhancing urban spaces to fostering sustainable product design and creating mindful digital experiences, this approach prioritizes the long-term well-being of individuals and communities. These applications illustrate how engineering can shape a healthier, more connected, and sustainable world.

• Smart Cities: Well-being-oriented engineering in smart cities goes beyond efficient resource management. Designing urban systems with accessible green spaces, safe pedestrian zones, and environmental sensors can promote community well-being, reduce isolation, and enhance sustainability.
• Community-Centric Urban Infrastructure: Public spaces that encourage social interaction, such as parks, pedestrian zones, and community hubs, strengthen social bonds and mental health. Engineers can create spaces that foster safety, inclusion, and opportunities for connection, supporting a community's collective well-being.
• Sustainable Product Design: Consumer tech companies adopting well-being-oriented principles design products that are repairable, recyclable, and mindful of their environmental footprint. By using sustainable materials and creating products that fit circular economy models, engineers reduce waste, contributing to healthier communities and environments.
• Software and Digital Platforms: In software design, well-being-oriented engineering focuses on creating digital platforms that reduce cognitive overload, avoid addictive design, and encourage mindful engagement. Social media platforms, for instance, can limit endless scrolling or add break reminders, while productivity tools can help manage notifications. Supporting users’ mental health, these design choices foster a balanced relationship with technology and promote social well-being.

Conclusion

As engineering continues to shape the future, the way we define success in design must evolve. Traditional measures of success, like efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and functionality, have long driven the development of products, infrastructure, and systems. While these metrics serve important goals, they often lack a holistic view of how technology impacts mental, social, and environmental well-being. In a world where engineered systems permeate every aspect of our lives, this narrow focus has become increasingly problematic. We need to recognize that engineering decisions shape our daily experiences, affect our communities, and influence the environment. It’s time to broaden the scope of what “successful” design means.

Moving beyond human-centered design to a well-being-oriented approach is not simply an enhancement—it’s a fundamental shift in perspective. Human-centered design has brought positive changes by emphasizing usability and user experience, but it often prioritizes the immediate needs of the individual, sometimes at the expense of broader considerations. A well-being-oriented approach, in contrast, expands our view to account for long-term impacts on people, communities, and ecosystems. This means designing not only for ease of use but also for the mental, social, and environmental health of all stakeholders. By adopting this expanded perspective, engineers can align their work with the sustainable, ethical, and equitable outcomes our world increasingly demands.

With well-being-oriented engineering, we have the power to create solutions that are not only innovative but genuinely supportive of human and ecological health. Rather than optimizing for short-term user satisfaction, this approach seeks to enrich lives, nurture communities, and preserve our environment for future generations. When engineers prioritize well-being as an integral part of the design process, they contribute to a more resilient, sustainable world—one where technology serves humanity as a whole rather than just addressing isolated needs. Embracing this approach enables engineers to harness their expertise in ways that truly elevate society, transforming engineering into a force for positive, lasting change.

Call to Action: Embracing Well-Being-Oriented Engineering

To embed well-being as a priority, engineers, educators, and organizations can take immediate, impactful steps:

• Expand Training: Integrate interdisciplinary training in engineering programs, emphasizing psychology, sociology, and environmental science to build a well-being-oriented skill set.
• Redefine Metrics: Develop new success metrics that include long-term well-being indicators such as cognitive load, mental health impact, and environmental footprint.
• Engage in Continuous Learning: Encourage engineers to stay informed on the latest well-being research, ensuring designs align with evolving standards for health, sustainability, and ethical impact.
• Collaborate Across Fields: Form teams with professionals from various disciplines, such as social sciences and environmental studies, to bring diverse perspectives to the design process.
• Advocate for Change: Support policies and standards that prioritize well-being in technology, and use influence to champion responsible innovation within the engineering community and beyond.

With each of these steps, we move closer to a future where engineering contributes not only to solving technical problems but to creating a healthier, more sustainable world that truly supports holistic well-being. Embracing this new model, engineers can help shape a world where technology serves humanity in its entirety, from mental and social health to environmental balance.

Author’s Note: This article was created through a collaborative process combining human expertise with generative artificial intelligence. The author provided the conceptual content and overall structure, while ChatGPT-4o assisted in refining readability and presentation.