Bolt-Ons

 

We at IDV Solutions take into account a considerable amount of client feedback on our user interfaces.  We rely on it as in-the-trenches focus grouping to keep our UX moving and relevant.  Often, though, with impending deadlines and budget concerns, the temptation is to quickly apply a feature or element that meets the need on some superficial level.  But no!  New features need to be considered in light of the whole application and nested into the workflow.

 

But when I leave the office, I can’t help but see that the same problem exists in other forms of construction.  Here are two bolt-ons that I’ve spotted recently…

The Unexpected Use Case
Just around the corner there, there is an exit from which pedestrians presumably dart -through the path of departing drive-through customers.

The Bolt-On
A big blockade a few feet from the pickup window.  I doubt that it is a feature of the original construction, but a bold response to a sad event or consistent close calls.

Probably a Better Solution
What everyone else does.  Put the exit door on the same side as the drive through lane so drivers can see pedestrians in advance and gently guide cars around the door with a curved egress patio and curb.

———-

The Unexpected Use Case
Public restroom users are rightfully wary about bare-handedly grabbing that door’s pull handle on the way out.  I know I am.  So often times I’ll see a pile of paper towels tossed in the corner next to the virulent exit -a desperate last line of defense for freshly washed hands and peace of mind.

The Bolt-On
Clever, frustrated, proprietors see evidence of this unexpected behavior and accommodate germophobes with a wastebasket strategically placed next to the door -a couple of feet away from the built-in waste bin installed at considerable expense that lies just out of reach of grossed-out door openers.  This treats the symptoms but does not cure the problem.  There are even literal bolt-on solutions, like antiseptic sprayers installed just above the door’s pull handle (apparently, there are whole communities dedicated to eradicating the injustice).

Probably a Better Solution
A door that opens out and a floorplan to accommodate it.  Then we can just push the door open (maybe with our shoe).

 

John Nelson / IDV Solutions / john.nelson@idvsolutions.com

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