Exiting a local healthcare facility, you’ll encounter these signs:

The quality of paper, layers of tape, and version history tell a story.

Firstly, exiting through these doors is not intuitive. Secondly, the prescribed way is not guaranteed to work. Thirdly, we haven’t figured out how to make this easy. Maybe we need another sign?

* * *

Good user design is often invisible. It requires no labeling, no signage, no instructions. The design is self-instructive.

A clearly-worded, well-placed sign can solve some headaches. (The PUSH sign affixed above the pull handle, for example.) But even obnoxiously visible signs don’t always override instinct.

It’s a cautionary tale. Arrows and labels are imperfect solutions to flawed design. Wherever possible, begin with thoughtful design.