Beyond Attention: Can Experiences Improve Quality of Life? (Late)

The Experience Economy has become remarkably effective at capturing attention, creating engagement and creating memorable moments.

But what if the next frontier isn’t attention, immersion or even transformation?

What if it is quality of life?

Every experience affects us. It can elevate or deplete, connect or isolate, calm or overstimulate. Yet while designers routinely consider safety, accessibility and sustainability, far less attention is paid to the lasting impact experiences have on human health, wellbeing, performance and flourishing.

As advances in neuroscience, psychology, sensory design and immersive technology deepen our understanding of human experience, a new category is emerging: Functional Experiences – experiences intentionally designed not only to entertain or engage, but to create meaningful outcomes for individuals, communities and society.

This isn’t a talk about wellness. It’s a conversation about what happens when the Experience Economy meets the Wellness Economy – and the opportunities and responsibilities that emerge as a result.

As organisations increasingly seek to support engagement, performance, recovery, connection and overall quality of life, experience design is becoming a powerful bridge between memorable moments and meaningful outcomes.

In this Campfire, Tom Middleton, Founder of Senzomi, will explore how brands, destinations, workplaces, cultural institutions and experience creators can move beyond designing for attention towards designing for positive human outcomes.

Drawing on examples from hospitality, entertainment, immersive environments, healthcare, education and sensory design, the session will explore whether quality of life could become one of the most important measures of success for the next generation of experiences.

If experiences shape people, what responsibility do we have for the outcomes they create?

Key Takeaways

• Why Functional Experiences may represent the next evolution of the Experience Economy

• What happens when the Experience Economy converges with the Wellness Economy

• How experiences influence human states, behaviours and quality of life

• Why quality of life may become a new measure of experience success

• The opportunities and responsibilities of designing experiences that leave people better than they found them

About Tom Middleton

Tom Middleton is Founder of Senzomi, an award-winning composer, sensory designer and creative director working at the intersection of science, technology, design and human experience.

His work spans hospitality, mobility, wellness, entertainment and immersive environments, helping organisations create experiences that support health, wellbeing, performance and human connection. He serves on the board of the Global Wellness Institute’s Music for Health & Wellbeing Initiative and is recognised for pioneering approaches that combine sound, sensory design, technology and immersive experiences to improve quality of life.

How to watch this Campfire:

• Campfires are available for WXO members only
• To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
• The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
• As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:

Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

• London: 17:55 – 19:25
• Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
• Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
• Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
• Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
• New York: 12:55 – 14:25
• São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25