October 27, 2006
Going to the bathroom (bad marketing communications happens there, too)
Being in the business I'm in, I get to travel a bit more than the common bear. And I get to see more than my fair share of airports.Now, I'm not going to get very graphic here, but recently, I entered the facilities at my home airport, Portland International Airport (PDX).
I think we've all had the chance to see the automatic flushing mechanisms that are in use at public restrooms. (Maybe you haven't. In that case, let me explain. There's a little electronic motion sensor that flushes the toilet when something breaks the beam. Usually someone walking by it.) So, when I saw something new where the electronic eye used to be, it caught my attention.
I'm the observant type. So sue me.
You see, I noticed that, instead of the automated flushing mechanism that previously adorned the porcelain fixtures, a new flushing mechanism had been installed. And with it, a placard describing its new water-saving features. Maybe they're not new. Maybe they've been there awhile. I don't usually fly out of this concourse. So, I'm impressed.
Bravo. I thought. Oregon trying to be green.
Until, I read the placard.
Now, let me break out of character here a moment to say that, to me, marketing, communications, usability, branding, and practically any other buzzword about which you want to bandy are exactly the same thing in my head. There is no way to divorce usability from communications, because usability is the way you communicate with your user. It's all the same to me.
So you'll find me discussing usability, but it's really me discussing communications. Capiche? Excellent. And, deep breath, back into character...
So, I start to read the placard about the water saving features, and this is what I learn: push the flushing mechanism one way and it uses less water; push it the other way and it uses the same amount of water it has always used.
Usability is the way you communicate with your user.
What's wrong with this picture? (Other than the fact that it's a rather rudimentary and off-perspective sketch.) You see, here's the problem, the water-saving feature? It's completely the opposite of the way we've all learned to flush a toilet. The people at PDX think you should save water by pushing the stick up, not pushing it down.
Now, how many folks do you think are going to read the placard? Right. And, of those, how many do you think are going to remember to push the stick the right way? Right, again. Not many.
So, this is a completely useless gesture. The airport will continue to waste as much water (and money) as it always has. Because 99.9% of the users are going to flush a toilet the way they have always flushed a toilet. By pushing the stick down. And, the water will continue to flow.
Because no one thought about the problem from the viewpoint of the user.
Here's the thing. If you want to gain something from the way I use your product, then don't make me change my behavior. Work with me here. Make your product conform to my behavior.
Here they've gone and spent all this money to improve the situation and they really haven't done anything. But waste money and time.
Nice try PDX. Maybe you should spend a few more bucks inverting all of those flushing mechanisms so that you actually attain your goal of saving water.
Going to the bathroom (bad marketing communications happens there, too)
| | Subscribe:
RSS, Bloglines
