Paper towel
Annoyance
Annoyance
Jingyu Huo
Challenge:
I had to spend a weekend at my company’s terminal in Ellenwood, GA. For the first few times when I used the lady’s room I saw paper towels in the toilet despite of the sign telling people not to do so. If this behavior continues, the toilet will be clogged.
Goals & Needs:
“As a driver who will stay here for a few days, I need people to stop disposing paper towels into the toilet so that I can have a functional facility to use. I believe other drivers have the same need.”
Hypothesis:
Rewriting the sign and placing it to a more convenient location for users to see will make the reminder work more effectively.
Original signs:
floor plan sign content
sign behind toilet sign next to paper towel dispenser
Problems:
•Locations: not on user's journey map
ØLady’s room, no one faces the wall when using the toilet
ØWhen people toss paper towels into the toilet, they don’t need to look up
ØPaper towel dispenser may cover part of the sign next to it
•Presentation: hard to read
ØFont: all cap
ØColor: black, can’t stand out from the background
Ø5 lines long
•Text: not clear
ØNegation takes longer to process
ØWord choice makes the message ambiguous: “put” & “personal items”
New sign:
•Location:
ØOn paper towel dispenser, hard to miss
•Presentation:
ØFont: lower case
ØColor: blue, contrasting to the background
ØIcon: big shaded arrow pointing to the trash can
•Text:
ØNo negation
ØOnly 7 words
Result:
I didn’t see paper towels in the toilet any more before I left the terminal in 2 days.
Reflections:
lWriting is part of design
lWhen we need people’s cooperation, make it easier for them to do
lImprovement: during the pandemic, a lot of people like to cover the door knob with a paper towel when they get out of the bathroom. That may help explain why there were paper towels in the toilet at the beginning because it is next to the door. Adding a trash can outside the door may address this need without clogging the toilet.
