Track My Wha?!

We all know that in order to be a successful designer, you have to know your market inside and out. You've got to be able to tap into the minds of your consumers as if stalking was your moonlighting job. Designers often strain their necks and bend over backwards for even the slightest glimmer of innovation only to be left in the dust with nothing but their pencil to their drafting table. Market research, if you ask an amateur designer, is probably the most dreaded part of the job; they would perhaps rather start with ideation by painstakingly trying to convince themselves that the Apple job that they so feverishly tried applying for was really "below themselves".

But when a designer's market research lends itself to a great solution or an even better improvement, the design falls into place with little-to-no scraps left on the cutting room floor.

I've always been able to tap into the minds of people (so to speak) without any regard to ethnographic circumstances (rich or slightly short of that). One consumer I've needed extra help with: MYSELF. What really makes ME happy? Who makes ME happy?

Spotlight on TRACKYOURHAPPINESS.ORG. Just this morning I looked into a freelance project that involved looking deep into one's self to find the true meaning to happiness (believe me, it isn't as convoluted as it sounds). Rather than coming up with a universal, generic response to this age-old question, I thought I'd dig into my cranial pockets and attempt to figure that out myself.

TRACKYOURHAPPINESS.ORG measures, you guessed it, your happiness. The site sends you questions via text, Twitter, or e-mail with which your response would ellicit and contribute to your "Happiness Report". Sounds like something out of a 70's hippy revolution sneaker-wearing jello-shooting era. But it's pretty simple. Answer 50 sample questions and your Happiness Report gets sent to you, the consumer. Imagine if all the information collected by all respondents could be used by any or all designers out there? Imagine what could be done with this information. Endless I tell ya! They've even sounded off on how fast or slow a response is received that could add to your happiness report.

I'm a pretty happy dude to begin with - I can't wait to see what turns up! Try for yourself: TRACKYOURHAPPINESS.ORG