Getting Involved

It has been identified that creating a compelling online experience for cyber customers is critical in gaining a competitive edge on the internet.
We have been looking at Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of Flow (1977) which describes it as a process of “optimal experience”.

One paper on 'Flow’ describes it as a feeling of alertness, effortless control, unselfconsciousness, and performing at your best. When an individual is in Flow a sense of time, and emotional problems, seem to disappear and a feeling of transcendence, or oneness with the activity, is present.
Using this definition it is easier to summarise the activities which result in a state of “flow” like reading a book, shopping, sex, sport… or - more relevant to IMS - surfing the internet or playing on a video game.

Unlike an activity such as watching TV, Flow needs to present some kind of challenge or goal: an activity that we desire or want to be involved with.

Motivation seems to be the big factor in the state of Flow. This implies that we actually need to be actively involved something for it to become a high skilled and challenged activity.
Walking around the Uni and trying to get people’s attention while they are on PCs shows Flow in process!
People ‘zone out’ all other factors and become highly involved with that particular activity. Arguably they may not want to be doing that particular work nor find it pleasurable. Nevertheless, there is a large motivational push to be engaging with the activity.

So it would seem that Flow is not always a pleasurable experience……

The more pleasurable examples of Flow seem to be when we are engaging in the activity for its own sake.
Talking to people on MSN is an activity which requires application knowledge (ability to use the softqare programme) and the challenge of conversation. Does this mean we enjoy this pleasurable feeling of Flow more then a highly motivated yet less voluntarily instigated version??