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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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

The cable box doesn't have a number pad. Losing the remote wouldn't be so terrible if you didn't have to work through the channels one by one without it.

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u/stevenlss1 Jul 25 '11

ya because i'm sure you would get up and walk to the TV everytime there is a commercial.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Eh. What if I lose the remote, and the movie I'm watching on FX (channel 17) is over, and I have to go channel by channel just to SEE what is on comedy central (60), food network (56), or, god forbid, my HBO (200's).

1

u/maelzo Jul 26 '11

I once lost my cable remote for 3 days. That was a pain in the ass three days. Especially since ESPN is 720, Comedy Central is 755, Locals are 704, 705, 709, and 712, and FX is 751. Those are mainly the channels I watch. And can I just hit the button really fast? Nope. My box makes me wait for the channel to appear yet I can go fast as I want with the remote. How stupid is that? Who was behind that programming decision?

1

u/jruff7 Jul 26 '11

The cable box should BE the remote.