After travelling between Oslo and Stockholm several times I started making note of an interesting example of good and bad usability.
When you arrive at the platform where you wait for the airport express train in Oslo you meet the following board:
It clearly states that the next train will leave at 17:45
And, I ask you: is this really the information you want?
If you say “yes, of course I want to know when the train leaves when I am at the station“. Think again.
I don’t think so. This is what you do:
You look at the sign:
“Okay, the train leaves at 17:45…”
Then you find the nearest watch:
“…right, it’s now 17:39..”
Then you do some calculations:
“…let me see.. the train will leave in 6 minutes… okay, I have time for a coffee!”
Is this good usability design? Is this following basic rules like “give the user the right information”, “make it fast and simple for the user to find the answer”?
So, what you want to know when you are at the station is how many minutes you have before the train leaves.
When you plan your trip the day before is something else. At that point you want to know at what time the different trains leave. But, at the station you want to know how many minutes will I have to wait?
An interface that consist of one single line of information and they got it wrong. Usability design is hard.
So, arriving at Stockholm Airport Arlanda I go for the Airport Express train, and meet this sign:
Yepp, the Swedes got it right…
Continue reading “An example of good and bad usability design” →
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