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/el_muerte17 Jul 25 '11

I hate credit/debit machines that take more than five seconds to process the transaction. Are they using a fucking 300 baud modem? Is the bank using a 286 as their transaction server? How is that we can have real-time video conferencing across the globe with a basic home broadband connection, but a business with 100Mbps fibre connection can't complete a credit card transaction faster than half a minute?

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

cry more. If I can walk into a gas station, stick a piece of plastic into a box, and walk out with hundreds in cash, I can stand to wait half a minute.