In positive psychology, flow is described as a holistic mental condition in which an individual delves into an activity with full concentration. Even in software engineering, the promotion of flow experience fosters effects such as positive affect, improved learning, and higher product loyalty in computer-aided environments. However, from a practice-based perspective it is not obvious how to design ICT to support flow experience. With this paper, we, therefore, contribute concrete design implications, paving the way for a good flow experience in ICT. This paper begins by examining the current state of flow research in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. We then go on to present a study comprising the development and evaluation of design options that aim to support flow in integrated development environments such as Eclipse, one of the most prominent open-source IDEs. The findings reveal practical implications on the use of four flow design options for software engineering and are integrated into a preliminary research framework.

Sprache

Englisch