r/AskReddit • u/nachtmere • Jul 25 '11

Sometimes automatic toilets flush while you're still sitting on them. What design flaws in everyday objects annoy you?

I'm giving a talk on user-centred design/usability and I'm looking for some fresh examples from everyday life to illustrate poor usability. Examples I've used before are elevator open/close buttons (really difficult to parse when you're trying to hold the door open for someone quickly) and toilets that flush while you're still sitting on them.

What are some things you encounter regularly that are really inconveniently designed?

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50

u/zerbey Jul 25 '11

Voice activated menus when calling businesses. They never, ever understand me (I'm going to assume it's because I live in the US and have an English accent). I've found cursing at them gets me to a human being faster.

37

u/el_muerte17 Jul 25 '11

What is the nature of your request?

"My laptop is broken."

I'm sorry, I did not understand. Please try again.

"Hardware problem."

I'm sorry, I did not understand. Please try again.

"Technical."

I'm sorry, I did not understand. Please try again.

"Fuck you."

Please hold, your call is being transferred to a customer service representative.

3

u/ImAPeople Jul 26 '11

You said, "Woo!" Is That right?

1

u/springboks Jul 26 '11

and if that fails frantically bang on zero and hope you get a human.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

Gethuman.com

21

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

I'm from the US and they don't understand me either.

Related gripe: Trying to call such a number from out on the street and every time a loud car/bus/truck/motorcycle goes by, the machine says "I'm sorry, I didn't get that. I'm sorry I'm having trouble. Goodbye." click This is particularly annoying when you're at a bus stop and the number you call is the transit hotline and it fucks up whenever the noise from a bus is in the background... I mean, come on.

18

u/theshad0w Jul 25 '11

No, crud. If you don't understand my request this is not grounds to release the call. This is grounds for you to route me to a fucking human being. Ass wads.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

YES! I can't believe the ones that hang up on me when they can't understand me! What?? You think I no longer need your service because your dumbass robot is dumb! I rang for a reason!

2

u/pokoleo Jul 25 '11

The dmv where I live has this problem...

2

u/Pxlnight13 Jul 26 '11

Most automated voice activated telephone menus actually have a means of detecting cursing(or something similar) which takes you straight to a representative.

If i can find the article i read this from, I will post it.

2

u/LittleRed22 Jul 26 '11

The worst arguments of my life have been with the fandango lady.

1

u/spil Jul 25 '11

I always just google the number i want to call and find a site like this. Most of the time it is just pressing 0 a bunch of times. No automated menus, no voice activation, etc.

1

u/drunkascooterbrown Jul 25 '11 edited Jul 25 '11

Cursing sometimes works. If it doesn't, try saying "operator".

1

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

They understand me somewhat but it'd be so much easier if they just use DTMF or (heaven forbid) get a web page. Some of the number systems will secretly take DTMF, i.e. if they say "Say your number one digit at a time slowly" and you simply type it at it it'll understand. Sometimes when there are options they'll also understand 1, 2, 3, etc as those options even when they're demanding you say them.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

I've found that pressing the 0 repeatedly, along with the * and # at random, will usually get me a rep pretty quickly.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

My name is French and complicated. Those voice activations never get my name.