June 9, 2010
Few things command attention like the Big Red Button.
Throughout modern civilization, red buttons have generally communicated one of a few things, depending on who you ask. “Press in Case of Emergency”, “Press to Stop”, or “Don’t Press! (but if you do, you can be damn sure something’s going to happen)”. But unless you work in a nuclear power plant, regularly operate heavy machinery, or are an elevator attendant, you probably don’t run into these very often.
Yet here’s one in the strangest of locations; a Citibank ATM, next to the door, actually controlling the door. Obviously (as I’m sure you guessed) it’s a trap… as this one seems to say “Press to Exit and Let us Record How Tall You Are”. Note the inconspicuous tape measure.
It’s a crafty yet unsettling ploy that seems out-of-place in Chicago’s uppity Gold Coast neighborhood. Was this ATM a frequent target for robberies because of all the big spenders in the area? Did something horrible happen here? Do I feel safer or less safe now? Are they recording my height to better target me as a potential new customer for a future ‘Join Citibank’ marketing campaign?
These are the questions I found myself pondering as I stood in front of that door, my wallet full of cash, eyeing that big red button.
The design lesson here — don’t mess with classic design conventions.
But the real lesson — as always — use your own bank’s ATMs.
2 Comments | 
Bad design, Guidelines | Tagged: ATM, Big Red Button, measure | 
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Posted by Infinite User
August 16, 2009
You can't get in that way folks. You just can't.
You wouldn’t build a car with a hidden door, a website with a cryptic URL, or a train station with no entrance. Yet take a look at this CVS in Porter Square in Boston. The store-front curve on this particular corner is designed to showcase the merchandise inside, but it also insinuates there’s an entrance nearby. But there’s no entrance for a block in each direction. And that’s far away enough to be an issue in the thick of a New England winter (when this photo was snapped).
The lesson here? Don’t deceive users on entry points. The gateways to the experience are as important as the experience themselves.
So get with it, CVS! And I’ll go ahead and admit that I walked into the glass window because I wasn’t quite paying attention. Darn head cold.
Leave a Comment » | Bad design, Guidelines, Travels | Tagged: CVS, entrance, hidden door | Permalink
Posted by Infinite User
July 18, 2009
On a recent sunny summer afternoon I hopped off the Chicago ‘L’ and found myself in front of what appeared to be the station exit under a big bold sign labeled “Out”. But I hesitated. As clearly as it was marked, I didn’t see so much an exit but a human death trap: a giant carnivorous plant with rusty iron teeth. Add the deafening rumbling of the train above and the high-pitched squeal of the aging turnstile and it was a less-than-inviting gateway into urban America.
This man took his chances.
Call me melodramatic, but this was my instinctual response to encountering the exit , my emotional response. I had consciously realized it was an exit of course, but it was my survival instincts – all processed in a fraction of a second after digesting my environment – that held me back. And in this case it was my hesitation that declared the victor in the clashing of my logical and instinctual halves.
So I waited and held my breath and let someone else brave the path before me. I finally stepped out, free at last, but not without a chilling reminder of another important design guideline. Functional clarity (what something does), and emotional design, (the feelings a design evokes, usually based on aesthetics) should both be taken into account when designing, systems, gadgets, environments — everything. Simple enough, right? And no, I’m sure next time I won’t hesitate before leaving the station.
2 Comments | Guidelines, Signage, Transportation, Travels | Tagged: 'L', chicago, exits, train station | Permalink
Posted by Infinite User
March 11, 2009
Well played, Dr. Einstein.
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Leave a Comment » | Guidelines, Quotes | Tagged: design quotes, Einstein | Permalink
Posted by Infinite User
July 10, 2008
One type of anatomy
I thought it would make sense to take a look at what makes a blog a good one, that is, from the user perspective, from those reading it. All in the spirit of human factors and information design, but really – so you’ll come back!
I did some research: talked to blogging veterans and non-bloggers, consulted online guidelines, used a few search engines, read carefully through a dozen or so of my favorite blogs and perused some new ones. Here’s the guidelines I like and am going to try to adopt for Infiniteuser.com.
- * A consistent theme across entries
- * Clear and informative post titles
- * Links that tell people where they go – like the definition of anatomy
- * Imagery that’s provocative & enticing, yet relevant
- * A regular and consistent publishing schedule
- * Succinctness: keepin’ posts short! – maybe the most important: the ultimate design challenge: high information value for little effort. Low cost, high return. A minute of your time, days worth of lingering insights.
- * Feedback through opening up comments and participation when appropriate
- * And naturally, interesting subject matter you’ll find worthwhile reading and enjoy
We’ll see how well I stick to these. I have a feeling I’ll be revisiting this list one day. I think it’s a good start, which is key for everything that evolves, blogs included.
1 Comment | Blog life, Guidelines | Tagged: anatomy, blogs | Permalink
Posted by Infinite User
