Things that piss me off # 27: Bad Design

[andrewducker]

We have a free coffee-like-sludge machine which produces a range of different drinks in various shades of brown. It also produces water, both hot and cold. In order to cater to those people who like different textures of grit in their coffee it has buttons marked "mild", "normal" and "strong". Once you have chosen your particular kind of drink (coffee, espresso, chocolate) you then press one of these buttons to show how macho/tired/masochistic you are currently feeling.

What annoys me is a particularly bad piece of design - the machine pauses for approximately three seconds to allow you to choose your drink strength - and it does so _even if you choose water_. In fact, choosing a strength for your water means the machine stops waiting and starts pouring, so pressing "Water", "Normal" gives you a drink without the wait.

Repeated experimentation has so-far shown no difference in taste between mild and strong water, but it's possible that sufficient exposure will eventually sensitise me to whatever subtle piquancy divides them.

Comments

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

This has often annoyed me. Going for a round of drinks takes twice as long as it used to with the old faithful machines. Even if you press the strebngth buttion immediately it pauses, then the long delay whilst it resets itself before you choose the next drink. Everyone in my area drinks water so I often ponder ti'd be quicker to pop into the ladies and put a tap on!

[andrewducker]

I have been debating getting a water filter, to save the number of bottles of water I go through.