Made out of people

Design and Accomodation

I like to think of myself as a little bit (just a little bit, mind you, but still) of a user interface designer, who gives some thought to the way that interfaces work. And that means that I feel like I can complain in interesting ways about stuff that's kind of broken.

I was humbled at ASA 2004 when I realized I was seeing the world from the wrong perspective.

(Continued, with visual aid ...)

So I'm in the elevator, and the people I'm with notice these odd buttons. One set goes up, the other down.

This, I can tell you, is no good at all. I have to remember which side of the elevator I'm on in order to know how to read the display. I can't just glance over at the panel and tell whether my stop is coming up soon, or which buttons are pressed. A top side button on the left means "low numbered floors," while a top side button on the right means "high numbered floors."

Very confusing. Obviously done by a designer who had never met a user.

So we asked the bellhop, who matter-of-factly said, "Well, we have many guests who come here in wheelchairs. This way, they can reach all the buttons."

Oh.