A Sign

Something struck me about this sign. It's just so... simple! Easy to read. Easy to interpret. Attractive. No logo or trademark to clutter it up. Durable.

So what if it's not multilingual? So what if there isn't braille or a 'pool' icon, or a map of the building with a 'you are here' and directions to the pool. Maybe it's not as functional as it could be, but who cares? I'm sure the designer didn't put a lot of thought into the creation of this sign--it was likely a standard design, ordered for a hotel chain in bulk as an afterthought. Maybe that's why it's so simple and straightforward. Contrast with this:


This is the device used for trivia games at The Spread--a bar near my apartment in Lincoln Park, Chicago. In theory, the trivia games are a good idea: questions are put up on a TV screen in the bar, and groups designate a person to quickly enter the correct answer into this device. People compete not only against other groups at the bar, but against other bars across the country as well, with the winners receiving free drinks or other rewards.

There are obviously many more constraints on the design of this object than the pool sign. It has to be rugged and waterproof, and it has to support a vast array of functionality. To use, however, it is a nightmare. Imagine being delegated by your friends as the data entry person for your trivia team. First of all, no instructions are given as to how to set up the device, enter your team name, or respond to the questions. Do you type your numerical answers in the number pad on the right, or in the numbers above the keyboard? Do you have to lock in your answer, or does it automatically send it in once you type something? How do you correct a typo? These are not trivial (pun intended) issues, especially considering that most users are a few drinks in and have five or six people screaming answers at them simultaneously.

If you know how to use it, the device functions very well. It's always charged (there is an easy to use docking port), the wireless signal is strong, and you don't have to worry about spilling a drink on it or dropping it on the floor. But it has major feature creep, is ugly, and the membrane switches just don't feel right. I can't decide whether it was more likely designed by engineers or business people, but it is clear that no regard was given to its usability or aesthetics.

So both the sign and the trivia device likely had minimal thought put into their design. Why then is one pleasant and functional and the other ugly and abysmally hard to use? Is it simply because the second one is much more complex? It seems that simple things often suffer from over-design, and complex things suffer from under-design. An iPod is a classic example of a well-designed complex thing. I'll be on the lookout for an over-designed simple thing to round out this theory.