For questions involving physical interfaces and interactions with "real world" objects.
40
votes
2answers
1k views
Why do numpads on keyboards and phones have reversed layouts?
I came across this on the web. It's supposed to be funny, but we all know better :)
So, why are the numpad layouts different, and what are the reasons behind each?
256
votes
22answers
11k views
Why do people clear the screen multiple times when using a calculator?
I've noticed that most people when using a real or a virtual calculator, they hit the Clear button multiple times when clearing the screen (even though hitting it once is enough), so I started ...
150
votes
16answers
26k views
Why do most public toilet doors open inwards?
Public restrooms design usually pay great attention to hand washing, providing facilities like wash basin (sink) - sometimes with touch free, IR operated taps - soap and hand drier or paper towels.
...
8
votes
7answers
1k views
Why is a manual transmission so complicated? [closed]
While driving I noticed that the gearbox is complicated for a first time users. I find it hard to tell which gear my car is in while driving.
Is there a reason for this design, and is there a better ...
75
votes
7answers
5k views
What reason could Nintendo have had for putting the A and B buttons the wrong way round?
When Nintendo brought out it's first game system, the NES, it had a controller with four buttons:
Select
Start
A
B
However, somewhere, a designer, in their infinite wisdom, decided that the A and ...
26
votes
10answers
2k views
Traffic lights: “yellow” is progress, not state
When thinking about how (real-world) traffic lights work, I wonder if there is a more intuitive way to display the yellow light. The meaning of Green and Red are states:
Green: Ok, you can go!
Red: ...
9
votes
2answers
385 views
Is duping the consumer really a good business practice?
I have had this at the back of my mind for sometime and I believe UX is the proper place to post this though I may not phrase the question right so please chime in if you have suggestions!
There are ...
6
votes
3answers
947 views
What are the benefits of non-QWERTY keyboards?
I'm stuck with QWERTY, but have been tempted to try Dvorak. Dvorak advocates claim it's faster.
Are there any studies that compare these two (main) keyboard layouts? Are there other layouts out there ...
6
votes
2answers
243 views
Keyboard shortcuts on non-QWERTY keyboard layouts
I've been using the Dvorak keyboard layout for a few years, and something that's always bothered me is keyboard shortcuts. On a QWERTY keyboard copy and paste are conveniently positioned as Ctrl+C and ...
