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User-centred design examples

100+ good, bad and ugly user-centred design examples. A gallery curated in the real world and the social web.

Braille fail example.
The Braille label is not included on the light button on a patient remote. ...because people who use braille don't need to know that they're controlling lights(!). An example of inconsistency and exclusion in user interface design.

Full Gallery on FLICKR

A continuously updated photostream of good, bad and ugly design is available via flickr.

Good design examples

Avocado ripeness design example.
A sticker, showing common colours for different degrees of ripeness, supports comparison between the visual information on the sticker and the avocado on which it was placed.
Show don't tell principle example
Show don't tell principle. Firefighter's simulating the effects of drunk driving to students 1-week before prom night. A very literal example of the 'show, don't tell' principle. This school's prom nights have been accident-free for 26 years, so far.
Domestic abuse poster with telephone number tear-offs disguised as barcodes.
Domestic abuse poster with telephone number tear-offs disguised as barcodes. Very clever and responsible design to protect vulnerable people from ongoing domestic violence/abuse and especially the unintended consequences of design.
Mimicry and affordances in fan design
Mimicry and affordances in fan design. Literal, simple and accessible mapping of the possible actions a user can take with fan/light controls.
Fly sticker on a urinal good design example
A small sticker of a fly is enough of a visual cue to direct more urine down the drain and less onto the floor.

37+ good human-centred design examples. A full album with inspiration from products and the built environment.

Bad design examples

21+ bad design examples. A full album of design fails, anti-ethical and exclusionary/inaccessible design.

Good user interface design examples

4+ good digital design examples. A full album of user interface and UX design #wins.

About

This is an ongoing project to collect and curate user-centred design examples encountered on the social web (mostly from Reddit). The gallery includes real-world good, bad and ugly examples of:

  • inclusive design,
  • content design,
  • user-interface design,
  • accessibility,
  • human factors,
  • user needs,
  • pain-points,
  • jobs to be done,
  • product design,
  • UX design,
  • mental models, affordances and design psychology.

Contribute user-centred design examples

Let me know in the comments if you've seen any interesting examples and if you'd like them added to the gallery. 

By Rik Williams

I write about how to collaborate to design simple, usable and inclusive information experiences that make the lives of customers easier. Read more in Categories and Tags.

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