Fuzzy Buttons - Begging to be pressed...

International Fashion Machines recently released the ESSENTIAL Wall Dimmer, a fuzzy fabric square mounted on a wall that acts as a light switch. If I have to tell you that you touch the raised, textured, shag-alicious part to turn the lights on, then the product has failed; fortunately it has not failed, as no human alive could resist reaching out to that tempting oval. That makes this the opposite of this blog's eponymous unpressable button: the must-press button.

Very often, designers want to encourage certain behaviors in the users of their products. If a user should press a button frequently (an "I'm okay" periodic check-in button for the elderly in a care facility, for example), it's good to make that button tempting to press. Here, we have a success - but used for a purpose (light switches) where the joy of pressing is merely nice, not needed.

One more comment: I read the use manual for these switches, and was disappointed to find that the dimmer is not controlled by sliding your fingers along the length of the oval - it's just a tap-on, tap-dimmed-preset, tap-off toggle. Oh well - otherwise, it would have been completely irresistible...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I did have two words to say in opposition to this type of button:

Personal Hygiene.

This 'button' word be impossible to keep clean. (Imagine having to press this button in the kitchen when you have goop on your hands). And in situations like a hospital, could actualy lead to the spread of some fairly nasty bugs.

Dave Gustafson said...

Very good point! I'm also envisioning this button as a fun thing in childrens' environments, like daycare centers, etc - and the same concern for hygiene would be heightened there as well...