I was was sat outside the entrance to an exhibition. A sign beside the door said “exit”. As most people approached, they saw the sign, looked confused, and as they approached a nearby member of staff, that staff member would pre-emptively say “Yes, this is the way in. Exit on the other side. DOn’t worry, everyone get’s it wrong.”

If everyone gets it wrong, then why not change the sign? Or remove the sign and replace it with another one that doesn’t require a member of staff to constantly repeat themselves?

What are the lessons?

  • Are all signs, messages, and information correct and up to date?
  • What do people (users) find misleading that can be corrected?
  • What do people find confusing, that we can make clearer?
  • What are staff having to repeat that could be avoided?
  • If staff are aware that people find something confusing, are they empowered to do something about this? Even if just make others aware of a potential issue.