Mental mapping: My stove has a crappy UI
By Eddie. Sunday, 27. November 2005, 03:08:45
So, we already established my microwave has a crappy UI. I don't know how I've delayed this post for so long considering the stove is right underneath my microwave, so lets go to the tape...
The LED’s on the top of my stove are very interesting. On the right side is a “surface is hot” notice, and on the left side is the “Element on” notification. So when you start up a burner on the right side, the LED on the left lights up. If you were using the left burner and turn it off, the left LED goes off and the right one stays on. It’s very confusing and poorly mapped. Everyone assumes that since the LED is above the dails, that it means something on that side of the stove is on or hot.
Notice in this first picture- the dial on the right is the only one turned on, but the LED on the left is on:
Why not move both LED’s to the center display? There is a TON of real estate in the "middle" of this panel where the engineers could have played with LED placement. Instead, they poorly positioned them right above the dials.
And can't we orient the dials the way they are on the stove? If there's not enough room, surely, you can maybe offset it a bit so that the rear burner dial is just slightly higher up on the panel than the front burner dial.
The LED’s on the top of my stove are very interesting. On the right side is a “surface is hot” notice, and on the left side is the “Element on” notification. So when you start up a burner on the right side, the LED on the left lights up. If you were using the left burner and turn it off, the left LED goes off and the right one stays on. It’s very confusing and poorly mapped. Everyone assumes that since the LED is above the dails, that it means something on that side of the stove is on or hot.
Notice in this first picture- the dial on the right is the only one turned on, but the LED on the left is on:
Why not move both LED’s to the center display? There is a TON of real estate in the "middle" of this panel where the engineers could have played with LED placement. Instead, they poorly positioned them right above the dials.
And can't we orient the dials the way they are on the stove? If there's not enough room, surely, you can maybe offset it a bit so that the rear burner dial is just slightly higher up on the panel than the front burner dial.
WIDGETIZE
paul.irish # 27. November 2005, 22:29
elcid73 # 28. November 2005, 14:22
Slight nitpick though- it's Donald Norman.
paul.irish # 1. December 2005, 15:58
Yes as much as I'm engaged in web design right now. His two books really get me excited for product design. (Like Target's revised Rx bottle)
Leonard Lopez # 10. December 2005, 20:07
elcid73 # 11. December 2005, 02:16
Renatas # 7. April 2006, 17:33
Anonymous # 9. October 2006, 17:09
How much do LEDs cost, anyway-what's wrong with a green LED for on and a red LED for hot for each burner?