Abstract
Recently there has been an increased emphasis on holistic user experiences in human‐computer interactions. Interface design is moving beyond usability, aiming to be aesthetically pleasing, emotionally appealing, and engaging. The term engagement is frequently mentioned in the literature as a goal of interface design, yet the construct remains abstract and ill‐defined. The well‐established frameworks of Flow Theory, Play Theory, and Aesthetic Theory provide a foundation in which to ground engagement and to begin to explore the attributes that must be present in engaging design. We conceptualize engagement as a process rather than a single instance. Our proposed model views engaging interactions as being comprised of three distinct stages: the user must become engaged, sustain the engagement, and eventually disengage from the system. Establishing a solid framework for engagement will enable us to operationally define the term and to develop techniques and instruments for measuring it. Without a rich, theoretical understanding of what constitutes engaging interactions between users and computer interfaces, we cannot ensure that design practices are truly engaging; user's experience with computer‐mediated environments must involve the user cognitively, behaviorally, and affectively.