The 23plusone Happiness Scan: a behavioural snapshot of what drives you

What if “happiness” is not a feeling you have to explain, but a pattern you can notice?

That is the idea behind the 23plusone Happiness Scan: a short, self-guided experience that offers a moment-in-time reflection of the drives that currently influence motivation and well-being. It is not a diagnosis. It is not a personality label. And it definitely is not a verdict. Instead, it is a simple starting point for better conversations with yourself, your team, or your organization. Try it yourself!

So what is the Happiness Scan?

The Happiness Scan is designed as a behavioural snapshot. It does not ask you to explain how happy you are, or to rationally rate your life. Instead, it looks at what you instinctively resonate with right now.

Think of it like a photo, not a movie. You receive your results as patterns across domains, which can help you reflect on questions like:

• What energizes me at the moment?
• What feels underfed or out of balance?
• What could I do differently this week to feel more grounded, connected, or motivated?

There is no “good” or “bad” outcome. The value sits in the pattern, and in what it makes you curious about.

Why we built it

At BR-ND People, we have been working with the 23plusone method for years: a science-based way to understand what people care about, and how those deeper drives shape culture, behavior, and brand attraction. In 2025, we started building a digital prototype of the method, not as a finished product, but as a way to make the model easier to experience and share.

The Happiness Scan is part of that exploration. We want to test how a self-guided digital tool can:

• help people reflect in a low-barrier way
• create language for what is often hard to articulate
• spark deeper sessions and follow-up conversations

The method underneath: 24 fundamental drives

23plusone is based on the idea that people strive for happiness by pursuing 24 fundamental interests.

When these are triggered, we tend to feel a sense of wellbeing, connection, and positive energy. These drives span a full emotional repertoire.

The method is rooted in research into brand appeal and fundamental human drives, built on a combination of literature review and large-scale brand profiling. The core question behind it is simple: why do some brands, cultures, and experiences just feel better than others?

The point is not that everyone wants the same thing in the same way. The point is that we all carry the full set, and what matters most is context-dependent.

What to do with your results

After you complete the scan, you can download a short report with your results and use it as a starting point for reflection and conversation. The best way to use the Happiness Scan is not to optimize a score. It is to use it as a prompt for reflection and conversation. A few simple follow-ups you can try:

• Pick one domain that stands out and ask: What’s happening in my life that could explain this?
• Share your scan with someone you trust and ask: Does this pattern surprise you?
• Choose one small action for the coming week that aligns with what you want more of.

If you want to explore your results more deeply, reach out. We can use the scan as a starting point for a session with yourself, your team, or your organization.

Want to try it?

We are still exploring use cases together with the 23plusone collective, and we are continuing to refine the experience as we learn. If you are curious to experience the prototype (and share feedback), you can try the scan here!

Credits: Sinyo Koene — Software Engineer & Data Analyst.