MY UX DIARIES

Since

: Fall 2024

Frustration of opening the door

(This was one of the doors in my ASU campus)

Viewpoint

From which side to open the door? Whether to push it or pull it?

Experience

When I was new on the campus, I used to get confused on whether to push or pull this door. Then I developed muscle memory to push it to open. However, I still get confused from which side to push the handle!

Possible Solution

Place a small metallic plate on the side of the door to be pushed. No handle needed.

Confusing sign (Inefficient)

(This is a sign on the Rural Road, Tempe)

Viewpoint

This sign ‘Look two ways’ was almost parallel to the road and was confusing -“Which two directions to look??” (It was actually pointing to the light rail track crossing the road)

Experience

I was going home from this road, walking on the footpath and suddenly saw thissign. At first, I looked forward and backward after seeing this sign. I couldn't see anything. Thenit struck me that it was pointing to the Rail track and I had to look for the Light Rail which may becoming from the two directions.

Possible Solution

Use the symbol of rail and make it parallel to the tracks.

Took a while to get the sign (Inefficient)

(A sign on Veterans Way, Tempe)

Viewpoint

It took a while to form a mental image for understanding

Experience

I was walking down a path and reached an intersection. I looked up and saw thissign. It took me a few seconds to digest this information that the vehicle cannot turn right on thissignal. If a person is in the vehicle, it can cause an accident if the person is unable to digest thisinformation quickly.

Possible Solution

They can use signs and symbols for quick understanding.

Frustrating heating device

(A device for heating from where I work)

Viewpoint

Are the numbers in minutes or seconds? I hate such devices including microwaves and ovens which don’t provide the unit of time.

Experience

I was trying to heat up the food to serve ahead but was confused about the time.

Possible Solution

Mention ‘Minutes’ or ‘Seconds’ somewhere.

Frustrating heating device

(A device for heating from where I work)

Viewpoint

Is that highlighted ‘Power’ label meaning to say that there is low power or thepower is on?

Experience

I was trying to heat up the food and got confused if this works on battery and itspower is low or it is saying that the power is on?

Possible Solution

Use different color or keep that ‘Power’ label separate from others.

Unpleasing floor dryer

(A device to dry the wet floor)

Viewpoint

Circulating bad smell around in closed space.

Experience

I went to a locker room in the gym today and found this. It was drying the wet floorcaused by the swimmers. This is a good device but it was circulating a bad smell in the closedspace, maybe because of the clothes soaked in sweat in the locker room or the device was notcleaned. I'm not sure.

Possible Solution

If it can come with a fragrance releasing thing within it.

Confusing text (Inefficiency)

(A poster on Winter pool information)

Viewpoint

The language is confusing.

Experience

I was passing through the gym corridor today and found this poster. This is confusing- it is the last day but a range of dates is given?

Possible Solution

Keep the language clear.

Frustrating package design

(A mouth freshener at home)

Viewpoint

It looks like a tube for ointment.

Experience

Today, my knee was paining due to heavy lifting at the gym. I was trying to find anointment and saw this. I was in a hurry to go out and got happy that I found it quickly. But thiswasn't an ointment, it was a mouth freshener.

Possible Solution

Maybe use a different type of packaging.

Frustrating alarm

(The emergency alarm near my place)

Viewpoint

Frequency too loud to withstand.

Experience

I was sitting today doing my work and this suddenly went out. There was no fire orany kind Of emergency and still it was tripped. We had to leave our work and go outside withoutany reason for a long time.

Possible Solution

Keep the frequency a little low.

Unpleasant soap dispenser

(The soap dispenser at my workplace)

Viewpoint

The soap dispenser is too high and bending the wrist to push the button at that height makes the hand hurt.

Experience

I was working at my job today and wanted to wash my hands before dealing with the food. I tried to get the soap from the dispenser and its height was very uncomfortable.

Possible Solution

Place the dispenser at an appropriate height.

Confusing sign (inefficient)

(A sign at the light rail station)

Viewpoint

Does the rail for Phoenix & Airport come on the other platform? These both seemto be in a section between 2 black strips along with the text 'Use other platform'. However, I waswrong to think that the rail for Gilbert and Mesa was on another platform. How confusing!

Experience

Today I wanted to go to the airport to fetch my friend and I was using Light Rail forit for the first time. On the platform I saw this and I was like, is the way to Phoenix and airport onthe other platform or is Mesa on the other platform?

Possible Solution

Highlight ‘Use another platform’ properly to separate the sections and remove the black strips which are causing distraction.

Confusing microwave (Inefficient)

(Microwave at my friend's place)

Viewpoint

Is the number displaying a countdown or time? It was displaying time.

Experience

I was trying to heat the food at my friend's place as we planned dinner together. lput in the food, got distracted for a moment, turned back and saw this time. For a second Ithought I kept the food for 3 minutes 28 seconds and it got burnt.

Possible Solution

Add AM-PM to distinguish between the countdown and time.

Unpleasant shop board

(A shop board in a mall in Scottsdale)

Viewpoint

What does it want to say? Is it a shop name repeating or a repeated phrase conveying a message?

Experience

I went to the mall today to shop for some new clothes for the upcoming summer. There, I happened to come across this shop and it was so confusing, unattractive andunpleasant at the same time.

Possible Solution

Maybe try some other fancy method of display.

Inefficient text

(A fire extinguisher in my campus)

Viewpoint

Vertical text is difficult to read as compared to horizontal.

Experience

I was passing by this and suddenly noticed that the words are vertical on this. Inemergencies, it is preferable to understand and do the right thing quickly. However, this patternof wording can cause delay if someone is trying to read it. It maybe only by a second but even asecond is important in emergency situations.

Possible Solution

Keep the text horizontal and fit in that space and keep it legible.

Inefficient sign

(This is in my campus parking lot for the shuttles)

Viewpoint

It is a hassle to find the app on mobile.

Experience

I was waiting for the bus one day and it was very late than the scheduled time. I tried to find a way to track its location by seeing this and finding the app. It took me quite sometime to search the app and locate the bus. It was annoying as I stood under the sun.