The Design of Everything

[connick]

I think an interesting subgroup of suboptimal and obviously untested designs is the one's that were clearly designed with ergonomics or ease of use in mind but miss the mark because the effort was only superficial or at least not thought through.

As an example, my wife bought a bottle of body wash that had textured grooves on it that fit the hand. I presume that the designers recognized that most people are right handed, so the grooves are asymmetric and fit a right hand. Apparently, what wasn't considered is that body wash is a secondary bath item and that the primary tool is a loofah or sponge or other similar item which would typically be held in one's dominant hand. So despite the design having an ergonomic design for lefties, it's misshapen for righties.

They say it's the thought that counts but, in the end, I wish people truly cared more about the finished products and the people using them.

 

[thebeave]

I think an interesting subgroup of suboptimal and obviously untested designs is the one's that were clearly designed with ergonomics or ease of use in mind but miss the mark because the effort was only superficial or at least not thought through.

As an example, my wife bought a bottle of body wash that had textured grooves on it that fit the hand. I presume that the designers recognized that most people are right handed, so the grooves are asymmetric and fit a right hand. Apparently, what wasn't considered is that body wash is a secondary bath item and that the primary tool is a loofah or sponge or other similar item which would typically be held in one's dominant hand. So despite the design having an ergonomic design for lefties, it's misshapen for righties.

They say it's the thought that counts but, in the end, I wish people truly cared more about the finished products and the people using them.

Body washes & loofahs? WTF? That all seems needlessly expensive and complicated just for getting the dirt off. I get a 3 pack of soap bars at the dollar store and use an old gym sock as a washcloth. Has worked fine for going on almost 40 years now, and I do lots of auto mechanics and construction work, so I get REAL dirty and greasy at times. My skin is like a baby's bottom at age 60!

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I think an interesting subgroup of suboptimal and obviously untested designs is the one's that were clearly designed with ergonomics or ease of use in mind but miss the mark because the effort was only superficial or at least not thought through.

As an example, my wife bought a bottle of body wash that had textured grooves on it that fit the hand. I presume that the designers recognized that most people are right handed, so the grooves are asymmetric and fit a right hand. Apparently, what wasn't considered is that body wash is a secondary bath item and that the primary tool is a loofah or sponge or other similar item which would typically be held in one's dominant hand. So despite the design having an ergonomic design for lefties, it's misshapen for righties.

They say it's the thought that counts but, in the end, I wish people truly cared more about the finished products and the people using them.

Body washes & loofahs? WTF? That all seems needlessly expensive and complicated just for getting the dirt off. I get a 3 pack of soap bars at the dollar store and use an old gym sock as a washcloth. Has worked fine for going on almost 40 years now, and I do lots of auto mechanics and construction work, so I get REAL dirty and greasy at times. My skin is like a baby's bottom at age 60!

Body wash is basically a bar of soap in a liquid form. The market has gone mostly to liquid soap for a reason--it's nicer to use.

 

[TV and credit cards]

I think an interesting subgroup of suboptimal and obviously untested designs is the one's that were clearly designed with ergonomics or ease of use in mind but miss the mark because the effort was only superficial or at least not thought through.

As an example, my wife bought a bottle of body wash that had textured grooves on it that fit the hand. I presume that the designers recognized that most people are right handed, so the grooves are asymmetric and fit a right hand. Apparently, what wasn't considered is that body wash is a secondary bath item and that the primary tool is a loofah or sponge or other similar item which would typically be held in one's dominant hand. So despite the design having an ergonomic design for lefties, it's misshapen for righties.

They say it's the thought that counts but, in the end, I wish people truly cared more about the finished products and the people using them.

Body washes & loofahs? WTF? That all seems needlessly expensive and complicated just for getting the dirt off. I get a 3 pack of soap bars at the dollar store and use an old gym sock as a washcloth. Has worked fine for going on almost 40 years now, and I do lots of auto mechanics and construction work, so I get REAL dirty and greasy at times. My skin is like a baby's bottom at age 60!

Body wash is basically a bar of soap in a liquid form. The market has gone mostly to liquid soap for a reason--it's nicer to use.

Dollars to doughnuts you get a lot less mileage out of liquid soap than bar. And coffee pods. And laundry soap pods. It’s all horseshit. Just another way of increasing profit. I’m waiting for the individual toothpaste tabs that soften when you run them under water. Look. No more squeezing the tube. How wonderful.
Horseshit. All of it.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Body wash is basically a bar of soap in a liquid form. The market has gone mostly to liquid soap for a reason--it's nicer to use.

Dollars to doughnuts you get a lot less mileage out of liquid soap than bar. And coffee pods. And laundry soap pods. It’s all horseshit. Just another way of increasing profit. I’m waiting for the individual toothpaste tabs that soften when you run them under water. Look. No more squeezing the tube. How wonderful.
Horseshit. All of it.

Yeah, I'm sure you pay more per wash for liquid soap. It's much nicer to use than a bar, though, and you don't have the issue of dealing with the wet bar of soap.