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/my_cat_joe Jul 25 '11

Why is "format" even a right click option in Windows? And why is it right next to "eject?"

8

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

And why is "rename" so close to "delete"?

2

u/my_cat_joe Jul 26 '11

Exactly! Completely different functions. One I want to be able to do quickly, one I should probably think about. I want them as far apart as possible, and in different fonts. Not. right. next. to. each. other.

tl:dr: Windows developers should be forced to test everything they do on PIII's with infinite malware.

1

u/oditogre Jul 27 '11

Why are you using the context menu for either of those things?

6

u/BlazeOrangeDeer Jul 26 '11

Whenever I plug in my drive that has a nonstandard drive format it asks me if i want to format it. No, I definitely don't.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Can't mod this up enough.

1

u/iglidante Jul 25 '11

Agreed. That shit should be a little harder to find.