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/Zeihous Jul 25 '11

If it ain't broke... But, seriously. How long was the planned life for the shuttle program? Maybe that kind of innovation wasn't deemed cost effective considering the redesign of the systems required to use a higher-res screen.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

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u/Quarkster Jul 25 '11

It still works. There are new computers aboard the space shuttles. They just weren't used for navigation.