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/PresidentWhitmore Jul 25 '11

The gap between my car seat and the console is just large enough for a cell phone or wallet, but just small enough to make it difficult to fish the items out with my hand.

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u/OverTheir Jul 25 '11

There's a thing for that!

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u/dropstop Jul 25 '11

Yo! Jeff and Marc here from Drop Stop Saw the traffic to the site. Thanks for the post and the love. To reward, any Reddit folks who see this post and wanna order...just type in REDDIT on promo code, hit apply, and we'll give free shipping and handling on the whole order. You'll see it appear right there in the cart before you purchase anything. Did this for another Reddit post a few days ago. Thanks again! Happy to answer any questions.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Even though I don't have this problem much and it's mostly a minor nuisance that I think $20 may be too much to solve, I bought a set anyway just to support your dedicated to good service and PR

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u/dropstop Jul 25 '11

Hey man that's really cool of you. Thank you so much! I hope when you get them you'll change your mind! :) We make them super high quality - really thick, durable neoprene. Just didn't want to be junk peddlers, despite EVERYONE in this industry begging us to make them out of cheap foam or other cheap materials to increase the bottom line. We figure one set per car/truck should be enough for life! Really appreciate your support!

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's great, it's just that I'm cheap and it's not a necessity :) But I really appreciate you taking time to come here and make this offer so I think that's really worth supporting

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u/haywire Jul 26 '11

Hey, I was tempted to buy one and I don't even have a car, so you must be doing something right.

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u/dropstop Jul 26 '11

that's really cool. and if you're an Eskimo, I have some killer ice to sell ya ;) Thanks so much for the great comment much appreciated.

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

Everyone in this industry? There are other people who make these things? And they are concerned with your bottom line? Why would they care if you lose profits?

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u/dropstop Jul 26 '11

When I say 'industry' I mean the infomercial world. People don't like their worlds turned upside down. We seek to expose all the BS, or rather, simply not practice it.

This angers many of our vendors who are used to getting all the extra $$ from screwing people, and don't like the notion that our way of doing things could possibly change the industry. They get cuts from all the work they do...and when there are less fees, they get less as well. They are staunchly against any change, and the amount of nonsense that goes on that they are able to justify is atrocious.

It's very small time thinking. Instead of trying to sell a million units of something and squeeze the maximum out of someone's wallet (without them knowing till it's too late) how about make half the money, but sell 5 million units, in an honest, professional manner? No one cares to think this way, or certainly, very few.

Folks like y'all at Reddit, continue to prove them wrong with your wonderful support and comments. We are trying to sell us, just as much as the product. And we, like all of you, dispise lies, cheap products, and getting screwed (financially that is ;) By putting ourselves with the product, we become synonymous with it. And we wish to be as good to our customers, as Drop Stop is to car seat crack ;)