A User-Centered Design Framework for Interactive Meditation Systems: Integrating ZMET and Restorative Environment Theory

Technology-mediated meditation has gained popularity as a non-pharmacological intervention. However, many digital meditation products suffer from design homogenization and fail to address users’ psychological recovery needs. This study presents a user-centered design framework that integrates Restorative Environment Theory (RET) with the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) to uncover user needs for interactive meditation systems. Through interviews, ZMET-based consensus mapping with 8 users, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) weighting, we identified and prioritized core restorative needs aligned with RET’s four dimensions: Attractiveness, Being Away, Compatibility, and Extent. These insights informed the design of ZenSpace, a hardware-software integrated meditation pod that embodies four strategies: multisensory interaction, immersive field construction, personalized adaptation, and emotional narrative. User evaluation with 15 participants demonstrated high satisfaction (mean = 4.01/5). This work contributes to the field of human–computer interaction by offering a structured, theory-driven approach to designing emotionally resonant and restorative interactive systems for mental well-being.