When modernisation goes wrong

The building I work in has modernised its elevators.

(yawn)
- I hear you, but bear with me!

To me personally, modernisation is about making solving a need by making something better. But what problem needed solving with the humble elevator?

The elevator is a globally understood tool. It is independent of language, religion or geography. Unless you have been living in a hole for the last x years then it is just known that you walk up to the bank of elevators, press the call button, get in, press your floor button and get out.

It just works. My 1 year old has even worked this out and points at the call button whenever we stop in front of one.

But under the disguise of 'modernisation' they have broken this universal code.

The new system works by walking up to a touch screen panel, dialing in your floor number and being assigned one of 6 letters associated with the different cars.

It is not that the new system is hard to understand, but the point is that it is different, unfamiliar if you will. When someone is in need of an elevator they are not thinking about elevator functionality, they are thinking about their meeting, the working day, their job interview, where they parked their car, what's for supper etc.

One of the key lessons I learned whilst consulting on usability was that familiaraty is usable, and the second would be that if it isn't broken then don't fix it.

I was disgusted to see that they have now started handing out instruction leaflets to all new visitors to the building. In many ways this makes the situation worse - they have acknowledged that the system is confusing for people but instead of changing it back they are giving patronising little cards!

These new elevators are not an example of modernisation in action, they are an example of technology for technology's sake and that someone was an excellent salesman and Land Securities at Portland House bought it all.

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There is one advantage that I haven't mentioned. It has become the universal ice-breaker for people arriving for meetings in the building. Up and down the 27 floors the first topic of discussion has moved on from the unusual weather we are having to the experience they had riding the elevators.

:~Dax~:

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