In software development user interface and interaction design gets a lot of attention. The basic idea is that you want your software to be easy to learn and use. Clients should be able to use it confidently.
The same principles apply to other kinds of interaction – restrooms for example. At a new (and mostly magnificent) medical research facility poor interface design for the restrooms makes using them confusing and frustrating.
The main problem is that you see this sign...
The same principles apply to other kinds of interaction – restrooms for example. At a new (and mostly magnificent) medical research facility poor interface design for the restrooms makes using them confusing and frustrating.
The main problem is that you see this sign...
...and make a hard turn to the left, expecting to find restrooms for both men and women.
The problem is that you are greeted with this....
The problem is that you are greeted with this....
There is tile (on both the walls and the floor), and plumbing... all of which indicates that you are now in a restroom. Unfortunately the only sign visible indicates that it is for women only.
Only if you proceed much farther into this area, which turns out to be a kind of vestibule, with restrooms at either end, do you get any indication that there is also a men's room:
Only if you proceed much farther into this area, which turns out to be a kind of vestibule, with restrooms at either end, do you get any indication that there is also a men's room:
Several software developers meet in this building a few times a year (often to discuss user interface and interaction design) and the restrooms always cause no small amount of confusion. There are some videos that document the typical interaction patterns on my personal site.