Whose fault is it actually?

Company's often blame you, the consumer, for not knowing how common used products work.

But who's fault is it really? Can they blame you for not knowing which buttons to press and in which order just to adjust the time on your VCR or DVD? Or can they blame you for the fact that you are not able to adjust your tv's volume the first time you try?

I think they can't blame you!

Look at this ordinary tv remote control for example and tell me which purpose the arrows in the cirkle have, I bet you can't if you have not used this remote control before.

But not only digital/modern products encounter many usability problems, you can find poorly designed interfaces anywhere you look. Another example of such interface is the following tap and sink. When you look at the objects that are close by to the tap and the sink they could practically all serve as a button to turn on the tape.

The main point I am trying to make with all this, is to show you that you're not stupid, but the designers were when designing these interfaces! A well designed interface takes the human cognitive systems into account and adapts to its target group in such way, this target group is able to use the interface.

So remember, you're not the idiot, they are!