Usability Hell

New Fugly Sign - Hackney, London

For me this is now what I see out of my windows every day. When I saw ‘Dave’ putting this up, if Id had a gun, I would have committed murder - no doubt.

Can I preface this by saying - Im sure the Hackney Carers Centre do some great work; that makes this even more sad.

What Happened (probably)

• The work experience boy, told to ‘get us a new sign’.
• Yellow pages, call ‘A+ Signey Signs’.
• Lets call him ‘Dave’ turns up in his white van.
• ‘Dave’, as it turns out, isnt a professionally trained graphic designer; though he did get a C- on a CSE art project in 1972 - so as good as.
• Unfortnately Dave isnt blessed with anything resembling taste either.
• However, he has a copy of Microsoft Word 95, a clip art CDROM from 1997 & has worked out how to plug the sign printing machine in himself.
• “Dont worry” Dave says, “I’ll ‘design’ the sign for you too for only £2000”.
• Dave turns up.
• Dave commits an egregious act of vandalism.
• People come out of the centre to view the sign; many are visibly shaken.

Why This Sign Is Offensively Bad

• Wrong Place: - people  approach this door from the side, no one sees the sign. A small plack on the door would be enough.
• Low Contrast: its virtually impossible to read even close up (white on yellow - seriously).
• Vandalism: Its drilled into the lintel of a beautifully crafted listed building. Did the architect have a vision including a disgusting yellow and blue sign?!
• Gaudy: It’s in a courtyard of attractive listed buildings made of London stock bricks - its bright yellow & blue, it doesnt fit.
• Ugly: Its actually painful to look at, its ugly on so many levels.
• Unprofessional: It makes the Carers Centre look badly managed.
• I Have to Look At It Every Day

If any designers out there fancy doing a good deed - offer to design a new logo & sign for Hackney Carers Centre. PLEASE.

Perhaps designers should need a licence? There is so much ineffective, ugly signage out there - it runis the environment for everyone.

Imagine a world where form and function were this bad. It would make 1984 look like The Teletubbies. Im seriously considering an act of vandalism of my own….