Mark A Powell.com » re:design

Conference Rooms A, D, B, C

ohaiyoo — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:34:31 +0000

We’ve needed way finding signage in our new building ever since we’ve moved in October. Over the weekend they thankfully added placards on each floor near the stairs showing which direction the conference rooms are. But, I’m totally flabbergasted on how they decided to order them.

Though this is totally needless, I will do it to satisfy my inner need to make things right.

Here is how I would change the sign

<	Conf. Room 4N A Conf. Room 4N B Conf. Room 4N C Conf. Room 4N D
^	Conf. Room 4N E Conf. Room 4N F CAPA Project Room Conf. Room 4NW A Conf. Room 4NW B Conf. Room 4NW C

Come on people, this isn’t that hard.

MISL: Encrypted File Dialog

ohaiyoo — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:26:34 +0000

Now that IT forces my computer to encrypt every file I’ve started to run in to a heap of problems when moving files around. The first is that I end up copying encrypted files to file servers that I don’t intend to and then later other people can’t figure out why they don’t work. The one I’m finding more often is this poorly worded dialog box. It pops up whenever I move a file from my desktop to a shared drive.

OK, where to begin.

The first is that the leading line doesn’t distinguish between moving and copying. Why can’t it tell what I’m doing.

The second is that the line where it states the options, it doesn’t really tell you what’s going to happen. I need to know what happens if I ignore the error. Am I going to not be able to copy it? Is it going to lose encryption? Is it going to be encrypted?

The last is the buttons. If this pops up and I skim the message and just read the message, I don’t know what Ignore means.

Here’s what I propose: A clearer message about what the problem is and the buttons describe what’s going to happen.

The most clarity I bring is that the files will be copied without encryption. That’s the crux of the message: if you move this file, it won’t be encrypted.

MISL: Dell QuickSet Exit Options

ohaiyoo — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:50:37 +0000

When you exit the Dell QuickSet control panel from the “notification area” you’re presented with this dialog box:

Blech! Most people won’t read the language and click “Yes.” Which means that it’s going to launch with your system every time you log on to your machine. But I don’t want this panel to ever launch, which means I need to exit the program every time I log on.

Cut to the chase. “Yes” and “No” are not commands that have any significance to what the actual program is asking for.

Here’s what I think it should say:

Clean Up Windows Messenger

ohaiyoo — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:17:16 +0000

While looking at Windows Messenger I thought I’d take it upon myself to remove needless status updates next to people’s names. If there’s a clear icon and a good mental model of what it means, the extra text clutters the interface.