Doors to Usability

Free instructions and downloadable materials

This activity is offered free of charge for your use in educational settings or World Usability Day events.

On this page: Activity Summary | Learning Goals | Preparation | Setup | Moderating

Activity Summary

Description:

This interactive activity asks participants to examine a series of four enlarged photos of real-world doors. Participants then vote on the direction the door opens (pull, push, left, right). A moderator then reveals how a given door opens and the group discusses what may be successful or misleading about the door's opening mechanism (handle, lever, push plate, etc.), signage, construction, or design.

Activity type:

Table-based activity

Good for:

The general public, usability novices and professionals

Requires:

A docent, enlarged photos of doors whose design does not accurately enable users to predict their function

Minimum activity time:

5 minutes

Docents/Moderators:

A docent who can display the doors in sequence and guide discussion

Equipment:

• A camera for documenting doors with confusing or misleading construction
• A mechanism for enlarging the photos and (ideally) giving them a foam-core backing
• Four enlarged photos of doors:
  
  • Door 1 (JPG 395K)
  • Door 2 (Large File: JPG 1.4M)
  • Door 3 (Large File: JPG 1.68M)
  • Door 4 (Large File: JPG 2.91M)
• A display stand or easel for the enlarged photos (optional)

Signage:

• Download the Activity Signage (487K PDF)

Learning goals

This activity helps participants to think critically about the doors they encounter. It provides an opportunity to explain the psychological principle of affordance. Understanding how a door's design indicates its function (successfully or unsuccessfully) enhances critical thinking skills and supports the proliferation of better, intentional design.

Activity Preparation

1. Identify four doors (to buildings, public transportation, houses) with a misleading design that would lead users to have difficulty opening them.
2. Photograph the doors so that each door takes up one entire photo.
3. Enlarge the photos to approximately four feet high by two feet wide.
4. Print the downloadable photos (or use the ones provided above)
5. Give the photos a sturdy backing by gluing them to cardboard or foam core.
6. On the back of each mounted photo, give each photo a unique identifier and write the direction the door opens

Activity Setup

1. Place the Table Sign photo on a stand.

Activity Moderation

1. The moderator holds a door aloft, the others are hidden from view
2. The moderator asks participants to predict what action they would take to open the door.
3. The moderator reveals the correct answer and guides a group discussion about what was helpful or misleading about the door's design and construction.
4. The moderator selects another door and repeats the exercise.

Found a Better Way? Question? Comment?

If you have a variant, enhancement, or comment on this activity, send an email to: volunteer@upaboston.org.