Smarter Appliances
Our office shares several appliances that were clearly designed without considering the real-world need to communicate their status to multiple users.
The first example is a coffee pot that is used when we are hosting clients or expecting usability participants. The catch is that this isn’t a daily event. That leaves people in my office guessing about the age of the coffee that they may find in the pot. The workaround that sprung up to help out is a simple sticky-note with the day and time the coffee was made.
The other example in my office is the dishwasher. We have a similar problem here, leaving us guessing if the dishes inside are clean and dirty. A sticky-note has come to the rescue here for us too. There are even
aftermarket products available that will adhere magnetically to your dishwasher, allowing you to manually indicate the status of the dishes inside.
Clearly both of these appliances work just fine if they are used by one user who can remember the status of the system. They were probably tested in the usability labs and test kitchens of their manufacturers with one user at a time with great results. However, the reality is that real life outside the lab is different. These appliances
are often shared. Even when they aren’t, a single user most spent mental energy to keep track of the status. Why not incorporate these status mechanisms in the design of the product?
Did You Remember the Kids?
While this isn't really a product development related example, I couldn't resist posting it. This sign is located at an exit door to a playground area used by a day care center in Seattle. This makes me think back to Anthony Giddens writings about "access points". I doubt this sign would be here is this was a space that the parents ever used. I hope I never board an aircraft to see a sign like this taped up in the cockpit reading "did you remember to put down the landing gear?". Aircraft have these reminders integrated (and formalized) in to the design of their control systems. This makes the same sort of failsafe reminder seem more professional and less like a reaction to a lesson learned the hard way.
Home-grown Instructions at the Pump
Tired of answering the same question all the time, a worker at this gas station decided to try to fight through all of the visual noise on this gas pump and provide his own set of instructions
The Doorbell is Here ->
This photo was taken in 2001 and contributed by my friend Nora McCauley. It shows a nice example of a resident who has pianted "Doorbell" on their wall trying to overcome the odd placement of their doorbell.
Dash Organizer
Contributed by Nora McCauley, this photo shows two Cool Whip containers on a dashboard of a car. Car manufacturers have figured out the cup holder needs, but have been slow to respond with other interior needs.
Tennis Ball Walker Feet
This is a classic workaround. The abrupt edge of the rubber walker foot has been replaced with a tennis ball. This eases the work for a user who isn't comfortable lifting the feet over small edges and transition. Product developers have taken note and started mass producing small ski-like feet for walkers. 
Coffee Pot Lid
It seems the flight attendants on Alaska figured out a way to keep the hot coffee spill to a minimum on turbulent flights. They've improvised a lid to their coffee pot using an empty drink cup that is already at-hand. Too bad the airline didn't think about this before they purchased them for the fleet.
Un-pucking that Mouse
Considered by some to be one of the worst tech products of all time, the "innovative" Apple puck mouse was such a change for some that an after-market company produced a sleeve that you could wrap around your mouse to normalize its profile. I'd personally just buy a Microsoft mouse. 
Improvisation: Re-sealable Packaging
I spotted a co-worker saving the rest of her energy bar by folding the packaging back and sealing it with clear tape. This is a great example of a user need that may not be in the interest of the manufacturer to fill. Stale energy bars might be good for sales.
Parking Kiosk
A parking kiosk at the Washington State convention center provides another great example of a product continuing to learn after manufacturing. Here the illustration of the hand inserting a card in the proper orientation has been augmented with an actual ticket that is affixed to the from of the kiosk.
Laptop Stand
I spotted a friend of mine at her desk at a VC incubator. She had been there for several months and found a solution to the ergonomics of her desk situation. By placing a box full of 8.5x11 paper beneath her laptop, she could raise it up enough to alleviate neck strain she was experiencing
The other example in my office is the dishwasher. We have a similar problem here, leaving us guessing if the dishes inside are clean and dirty. A sticky-note has come to the rescue here for us too. There are even aftermarket products available that will adhere magnetically to your dishwasher, allowing you to manually indicate the status of the dishes inside.
Clearly both of these appliances work just fine if they are used by one user who can remember the status of the system. They were probably tested in the usability labs and test kitchens of their manufacturers with one user at a time with great results. However, the reality is that real life outside the lab is different. These appliances are often shared. Even when they aren’t, a single user most spent mental energy to keep track of the status. Why not incorporate these status mechanisms in the design of the product?
