NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/comp/humanfa/2687

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-19 | 1.9 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!munnari.oz.au!ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU!ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU!not-for-mail
From: [e-mail] (Paul Fritze)
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: Re: Interesting Elevator HF error:
Date: 20 Nov 1992 15:19:17 +1100
Organization: Chemistry Department, Melbourne University, AUS.
Lines: 26
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jeff Close) writes:
>I thought I'd share an interesting desgin error with everyone.  The elevators
>in our building have two lights to indicate which direction an elevator is
>going when it appears.  Unlike most, which have some form of obvious up-down
>indicator (either a lighted arrow or two lights arranged vertically), this...

Some time ago I was waiting for a lift with a group of increasingly frustrated
people and overheard the comment from a young girl that "the doors won't
open!". That set me thinking that perhaps not everyone lives with the
assumption that lifts go up & down, perhaps this is a myth perpetuated by
architects & engineers through the use of little red & green lights.
Unfortunately I can't remember the shape or size of the indicators in this
instance.
Another observation is that people seem to prefer illuminated numbers to
indicate lift progress. This is similar to the computer interface principle of
providing a % complete indicator for making lengthy processes seem more
bearable.
I am also reminded of the story of the lift company who managed to satisfy
complaints that their lifts were slow by installing mirrors by the lift doors.

Maybe there are a few ideas for interface designers here...

--
Paul Fritze - Instructional Designer, School of Chemistry
              Melbourne Uni, Parkville 3052, Australia
              [e-mail]