The puzzling office phone at Delft University of Technology (click image to enlarge).

How many of you know how to patch-through a call on your office telephone? Well, until recently, I wasn't able to do it. The phones at Delft University of Technology feature an interesting generic array of keys, of which the labeling is printed on an insert sheet. This could have worked. Except for the fact that the labeling is incomprehensible. As a consequence, roughly three quarters of the people at TU Delft does not know how to forward a call. Let alone how to retrieve it if the person on the other side does not pick up.


But today I got a phone that was previously used by someone else, because my own handset was broken. Physically broken, that is. The previous owner scribbled 'patch through' next to a button that was previously mysteriously labeled 'dial tone'. And next to 'change call', was written 'back to person on the line'. Finally I am able to work my office telephone. Thank you mysterious previous owner!

The sad thing is that the labeling is extremely easy to replace, because it was printed on a paper insert, which allows for customization of office phone systems. It's just too bad that the person who devised the labeling did not realize that people might not want to push a button labeled 'dial tone' during a conversation (which would allow them to patch through a call).

Also check out the previous posts on my amazing Light Switch and confusing Door Lock in the office usability series.

Technorati Tags: design, usability, user centered design, user centred design