YET ANOTHER DOOR USABILITY FLAW
I believe that doors are one of the personal favorites for all HCI experts and for that reasons I am writing this post. I still remember the few examples in Don Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things" of doors that gave no clue of how one is supposed to open them - no visible hinges and opening knobs. And that same book was required reading for my first HCI lecture, which is unfortunate to be very related to the example I am about to give.
Let's start with short background. I was working at the HCI chair at my university for quite some time during which renovation of our floor was made. And in order to enter the area of high security and most superior intellectuality one faces the following challenge. A button with engraved text in German saying open door that actually does not open it. I know that the button is there for accessibility reasons but the sole fact that it serves no other purpose but confusing our guests is the reason why I wanted to share it. Fortunately one of our PhD students put the sticky note on it which made me laugh every time I passed by. And yes we are probably the most prestigious HCI chair in German university. I hope that my colleagues who are still there can swallow the bitter embarrassment and laugh at it as I did.
On the side that is not the only problem for that door because one can enter only with a smart key that guest have no idea about. It is always so fun to look at people knocking on the door or pushing it trying to get in. There is of course a tiny label asking them to contact our secretary through the intercom system mounted on the nearby wall. I simply love irony and will be more than glad when one day people laugh on my designs in similar way. I'd even invite them on a cup of coffee and laugh with them too.