Comments on: UI Gone Horribly Awry

UI Gone Horribly Awry

anastasiav — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 18:12:29 -0800

baddesigns.com -- This is not a urinal. This phone is hard to turn on. This must be annoying. This design could get you a traffic ticket. This guy has too much time on his hands.

By: oog

oog — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 18:22:37 -0800

this is fantastic. i've had more than my share of problems with this thing. i once spent 20 minutes struggling with it at my then-girlfriend's parents' house, before giving up and going dirty for the rest of the day. bad design should be paid attention to more in every aspect of life.

By: gimonca

gimonca — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 18:43:53 -0800

Then again, some of these make me think this guy is basically a big 'tard.

By: eddydamascene

eddydamascene — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 18:52:38 -0800

When simple things have signs, especially homemade signs, it is usually a signal that they aren't well-designed. *wipes coffee off of nose*

By: Kikkoman

Kikkoman — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:01:09 -0800

Too right, oog. I always dread hotels for that very reason -- do the fixture manufacturers pride themselves on drawing up the weirdest design? You need a PhD in fluidics to understand some of those constructs. When I buy my first home, I know exactly what to install...

By: tippiedog

tippiedog — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:04:52 -0800

We have this shower control and a coffeemaker like this one at home, and this fridge at the office. I gotta admit, in all three cases he has a very valid point. To date, I'm the only person to use the shower in question who has figured out how to get the water to transfer to the shower head. I'm constantly turning the coffee pot on by accident as I work in the kitchen, and about 50% of new employees (me included) has tried to open the office fridge by the wrong side.

By: crunchland

crunchland — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:09:14 -0800

this site is so slow, it must be running on a 300 baud modem.

By: dogwalker

dogwalker — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:37:21 -0800

I have a fridge like that in my kitchen. I didn't know until just now when I checked (I didn't install, came with the apt). Apparently the bad design can be countered by putting the side that doesn't open really close to a wall, then nobody ever sees the 'fake' handle.

By: Grod

Grod — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:38:42 -0800

How can anyone be this stupid? I can see making one or two of these mistakes, but this guy is an idiot.

By: Fabulon7

Fabulon7 — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:41:27 -0800

This whole site could be devoted to Lotus Notes.

By: Zurishaddai

Zurishaddai — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:54:52 -0800

Naturally enough, my only encounter with that infernal shower control was on the morning of an interview I'd traveled to. And it wasn't a hotel, so there was no one to ask: it was a guest house kept by my prospective employer. Quite similarly stupid is the way you put the gearshift of a Renault twingo into reverse. At the bottom of the stick, there is a plastic molding that looks just like the decorative/concealing part on a million other cars. But no, it's a switch, you pull up on it to get reverse. Of course, the thought never crossed my mind until I was into a three-point turn on a pitch black curvy road in Guadeloupe... P.S. The guy's not an idiot, he just has an appreciation for functional design. Has anyone here ever seen a well-designed teakettle?

By: shepd

shepd — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 20:03:43 -0800

User interface difficulties sometimes aren't so easily fixable, as this site would suggest. For example, replacing the handles on these doors would prevent them from locking. Clearly that's more important to the owners of the area than a confused user. And sodium lamps last a long time, and are cheap. Given the option of no light or yellow light, I'd take yellow light anyday. Oh, and in some other countries, yellow doesn't mean an impending red. It means impending green. Confusing, eh? :-)

By: tss

tss — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 20:51:22 -0800

You have to admit, this is a pretty dumb way to label parts of a parking garage.

By: Kikkoman

Kikkoman — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 20:54:26 -0800

Shepd, I don't see how thickening one part of the handle on those doors would prevent them from being locked in the standard fashion, or in the snaked chain manner. A note about sodium lamps: it's been pretty well documented (by the International Dark-Sky Association and others) that crime is not necessarily deterred by lighting. Another mark against these cheap lamps is that they often work to _reduce_ visibility because of their glare. They could be redesigned to 1) fire photons toward the ground, where it actually does some good, and 2) do so in a more diffuse manner. Given that drawbacks, I think the point stands: sodium lamps suck.

By: tomharpel

tomharpel — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 20:58:54 -0800

Crappy Web Design This is a web site, yet the background image is apparently intended to fool the reader into believing that she is actually viewing a publication bound in a spiral notebook. The background image used to render the spiral binding is 4096 pixels wide and 1.4 KB in size. Design Suggestion Lose the cutesy spiral binding graphics. It's a web page. Make it look like one. Maybe the page will load a little faster for it.

By: cyrusdogstar

cyrusdogstar — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 21:09:25 -0800

Zurishaddai--I drive a '91 Volvo wagon which has the same kind of stickshift as you're describing in the Twingo. Gets every single person who tries driving the car ;) Also, for 5th gear it has a *button* on top of the knob! So instead of a usual 6-slot shifting...thing...it's only got 4 spots arranged in an H, with the reverse being next to 1st gear (again, only when you lift up that ring). Plus the door handles are set into the door, and are these wierd sliders which you pull back, instead of normal handles. Silly Volvo people...

By: pitchblende

pitchblende — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 22:03:18 -0800

Zurishaddai: Well Designed Teakettle Disclaimer: I've only played with it in the store. But OXO makes some well designed tools. Their "Pro" line of kitchen knives is excellent for the price. Sorry to sound like an ad...

By: Pink Fuzzy Bunny

Pink Fuzzy Bunny — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 22:25:58 -0800

I've owned other OXO products, such as their regular knives, and without fail the fancy handles fall off in less than two months. Sorry to sound like a product reviewer..

By: shepd

shepd — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 23:48:46 -0800

>Shepd, I don't see how thickening one part of the handle on those doors would prevent them from being locked in the standard fashion, or in the snaked chain manner. I didn't read closely enough. Good call. >A note about sodium lamps: it's been pretty well documented (by the International Dark-Sky Association and others) that crime is not necessarily deterred by lighting. Another mark against these cheap lamps is that they often work to _reduce_ visibility because of their glare. They could be redesigned to 1) fire photons toward the ground, where it actually does some good, and 2) do so in a more diffuse manner. Given that drawbacks, I think the point stands: sodium lamps suck. I dunno. I guess it depends on where they're used. But, given a choice between driving down an unlit street and risking an accident, or dealing with some glare, I'll take the latter. I've never found them to be a problem, myself. As far as crime goes, well, since I'm driving through the place I'm not worried. But I want to see my potholes in advance, and possibly drunk people before I hit them. :-)

By: jamespake

jamespake — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 00:28:41 -0800

The door example looks like it came straight from The Psychology of Everyday Things by Don Norman. I agree with the basic idea that things should 'afford' their purpose but the phone example above is ridiculous - he sent his phone back because he couldn't switch it on! And he had instructions....

By: twine42

twine42 — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 01:23:24 -0800

Zurishaddai - My old renault had that too... fairly common on cars from continental Europe. I actually liked it. But there are a hell of a lot of things on Renaults and Citroens that are insane...

By: majcher

majcher — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 02:16:00 -0800

pitchblende: We bought that teakettle about a year ago, and it rocks so hard. I never thought I'd feel this much for a kettle, but I love it. Plus, it has a nice train-whistle harmonic, instead of the usual obnoxious shriek. As for the sodium lights in San Jose, I'm voting for dumbass there. I lived in SJ for about a year, and I never had that problem, and I've never heard of anyone else having that problem before. The Lick Observatory thing makes sense, too - if you've ever been up there, you know that it's pretty much just a solid blanket of lights beneath you. The trick is that the sodium lights all have pretty much the same spectrum distribution on them, so they can easily filter out the light from the city without impairing their view of the sky too much. Tricky astronomers.

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 02:27:46 -0800

Pink Fuzzy Bunny, I have had the same experience with OXO products. The design seems great, but they are flimsy and break very quickly with normal use.

By: Songdog

Songdog — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 07:33:57 -0800

Regarding the streetlights: glare, light pollution, and traffic light confusion could all be reduced with proper fixtures that direct all of the light down onto the road surface instead of spilling it out the sides into drivers' faces (causing pupil-shrinking glare and thereby reducing visibility). Good lights in good fixtures would be best for astronomers and drivers.

By: gottabefunky

gottabefunky — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 08:17:40 -0800

Speaking of confusing Volvos, the seatbelt and door-open handle on my '91 wagon never fail to befuddle at least one of every two people who sit in my passenger seat. I call it the Swedish Intelligence Test.

By: benjh

benjh — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 08:38:29 -0800

Regarding the problems with someone being able to turn their cell phone on... how about if you read the instruction manual that comes with the phone? Nifty. My Kyocera also has this same type of on/off mechanism. Seems pretty common, poor Nokia users having to change. Why is a Nokia the end-all-be-all of cell phone user experience?

By: Kikkoman

Kikkoman — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 09:18:17 -0800

I think the guy has a point -- it _should_ be obvious how to turn objects on and off. Think about that fundamental state change: it turns a hunk of plastic into a working, useful device. Why would anyone make something that essential to the purpose of the object non-obvious? The same goes for doors, incidentally. Would you really want to use a door that required you to read a manual before opening it? If this guy has a problem, it's that he didn't try out the phone before he bought the thing.

By: mathis23

mathis23 — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 10:03:16 -0800

OK, seriously...does ANYONE know what this sign really means??

By: jfuller

jfuller — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 12:46:30 -0800

Headlight controls A steering column that controls anything except steering is a failed design anyway. Proceed no further. Shampoo vs. conditioner We use generic dishwashing liquid for all our dish-, body-, hair- and cat-washing needs. If you must have conditioner, generic fabric softener a) is the same stuff, b) is cheaper, and c) doesn't make you smell like a fruit cup. Tunafish packed in oil, packed in water, dolphin friendly, dolphin slaughter... (-Too Stoned for the Grocery Store) Keep moving? One obeys the law and one's own driving manual. My driving manual requires a full stop and both-ways-look at this intersection no matter how loud the idiot behind me honks. Door push bar Karate-kick the push bar as hard as you like, right in the middle. Door will tell you which way it wants to open. Wall-wart impediment Anything running off a wall-wart power supply is a failed design anyway. Proceed no further. ...good stove top control design Wrong. You don't get to put controls on the stovetop surface because that's prime pot-putting real estate, and also the prime target for greasy spills. Cure worse than disease. Windshield wiper controls A steering column that controls anything except steering is a failed design anyway. Proceed no further. Phone turns off The combination of controls on the phone earpiece and ubiquitous voice-menu systems is deadly anyway. To respond to messages you have to take the phone away from your ear so you can't hear the messages. All controls off earpiece, now! (Corollary, all cell phones to landfill, now!) Phone broken? RTFM. But we already threw all the cell phones into the landfill anyway. Don't go to the right? Don't tell me you aren't going to reveal which way goes over the cliff? Wile E. Coyote needs to know!

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 12:49:05 -0800

But there are a hell of a lot of things on Renaults and Citroens that are insane... Especially the drivers, anyone who's willing to own one you've got to wonder about! Oh, and the sign was a "keep right" sign. Do not go to the left as indicated by the left side of the sign, do go right, as indicated by the right pointing arrow on the right half. Confusing? Welcome to Mexico.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 13:02:44 -0800

Um, jfuller conditioner (random non-organic brand): water, cetearyl alcohol, glycerin, propylene glycol, ceteth-3 acetate, cyclomethicone, behenalkonium chloride, cetyl alcohol, lecithin, ppg-5-ceteth-20, oleth-10, disodium cocoamphodipropionate, avocado oil, taurine, arginine hydrochloride, hydrolyzed soy protein, wheat amino acids, hydroxypropyltrimonium, hydrolyzed wheat protein, trehalose, disodium edta, ethylparaben, methylparaben, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, phenoxyethanol, glyceryl sterate, peg-100 stearate, cetrimonium chloride, propylparaben, dimethicone, dc orange 4, fdc yellow 5, fragrance and fabric softener (random brand): Water , Fabric Softening Agent (Cationic Surfactant) , Fabric Brightening Agent , Quality Control Agent , Perfume and Colorant are NOT the same things! From the link: [Fabric Softener] is the most toxic product produced for daily household use. It has been found to be associated with numerous illnesses and chronic conditions.

By: jfuller

jfuller — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 13:55:19 -0800

fuller begs to differ. Surface active agents are used very widely throughout industry where it is necessary to improve contact between polar and non-polar media such as would occur between oil and water or between water and some solids (eg minerals)... their cationic nature causes them to adhere on negatively charged surfaces such as glass, hair, fibre, metals and many plastics. This phenomenon is the basis of their use as antistatic agents, corrosion inhibitors, fabric softeners, hair conditioners, leather softeners, pigment wetting and dispersing agents and water and sewage treatment flocculants. The surfactant is the "same stuff"; the rest is the fruit cup. Fuller suggests you lay off the hair-care products, they're nasty.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Thu, 01 May 2003 07:56:57 -0800

Um, jfuller, your first link didn't go anywhere and your second link only listed "Accosoft" as a fabric softener's active ingredient, what is in Accosoft? Probably the following: Chemical Ingredients in Fabric Softeners/Dryer Sheets: Alpha-Terpineol: "Causes CNS disorders. Highly irritating to mucous membranes. Aspiration into lungs can produce pneumonitis or fatal edema. Lesser exposures can cause decreased circulation, headache, depression of CNS and/or respiratory function, ataxia (loss of muscle coordination), behavioral changes. Prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact." Benzyl Acetate: "Carcinogenic. Vapors irritating to eyes and respiratory passages, exciting cough. In mice, pancreatic cancer, hyperanemia of the lungs. Can be absorbed through skin causing systemic effects. Do not flush to sewer system." Benzyl Alcohol: "Associated with CNS disorders. Irritating to upper respiratory tract. Can cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sudden drop in blood pressure, CNS depression, death due to respiratory failure." Camphor: On E.P.A.'s Hazardous Waste list. "Avoid contact with eyes, skin, clothing. Do not breathe vapours. Inhalation can be fatal. Properties: anesthetic, neurotoxic, carcinogenic. Chronic effects of exposure may include liver and/or kidney damage. Medical conditions aggravated by exposure. Kidney disorders, liver disorders, heart disorders, skin disorders, allergic or respiratory conditions. May cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, irritation of respiratory tract, loss of consciousness. Conditions to avoid: heat". Ethyl Acetate: On E.P.A.'s Hazardous Waste list. "Narcotic, may cause headache, narcosis, stupour. Irritating to eyes and respiratory tract. May cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to liver and kidneys. Wash thoroughly after handling." Limonene: "Prevent contact with skin or eyes. Properties: irritant, sensitizer, carcinogenic. Always wash thoroughly after using, especially before eating, drinking, applying cosmetics. Do not inhale." Linalool: "Narcotic. Associated with CNS disorders and respiratory disturbances. Attracts bees. In animal testing: ataxic gait, reduced spontaneous motor activity and depression, depressed heart activity, development of respiratory disturbances leading to death." Pentane: "Danger: Harmful if inhaled. Inhalation of vapor may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, irritation of respiratory tract and loss of consciousness. Contact can cause eye or skin irritation."