Modeling a Decision-Making Framework for Spiritual-Sensitive Design: A Grounded Theory Study of User Experience Ecosystems

Abstract

While spirituality is increasingly recognized as a significant dimension of human experience, it remains an underdeveloped area within design research. Current design approaches often treat spirituality as a static aesthetic or a fixed symbolic attribute, failing to account for its dynamic and relational nature in user experience. This study aims to bridge this gap by modeling a decision-making framework for spiritual-sensitive design, focusing on how spiritual meaning is constructed and maintained within user experience ecosystems. Using a grounded theory approach, the study conducted in depth semi structured interviews with participants from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds to explore their lived spiritual experiences. Data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding using the constant comparison method. This approach enabled the development of a conceptual framework grounded in participants’ narratives and revealed the iterative processes through which spiritual meanings are formed and transformed through interaction. The study identifies that spirituality functions as a dynamic Interaction Ecosystem (IE) rather than a static quality. Central to this ecosystem is the role of “The Other”, a relational entity that mediates the experience through a continuous loop of personal assumptions and lived feedback. The findings reveal a “Cycle of Spiritual Understanding,” where cognitive dissonance and experiential recalibrations drive the evolution of spiritual meaning. Furthermore, the research highlights the tension between soothing facilitators, such as materiality and nature, and repulsive factors that arise when spiritual frameworks become overly restrictive. The resulting IE Model offers a conceptual roadmap for designers to integrate spiritual sensitivity into their decision-making processes. By shifting the focus from symbolic representation to the facilitation of relational ecosystems, this research provides tangible entry points for designing products and environments that resonate with the profound complexities of human spirituality. The framework underscores the importance of interpretive openness, suggesting that spiritually sensitive design must support the fluid and iterative nature of personal meaning-making.