Thoughtful Design I Encountered When Traveling Through the Baltics
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I traveled through the Baltics over spring break and was overwhelmed with the amount of great design everywhere! From the plane ride to the bathroom, so many things were designed thoughtfully with people at the center of use. It was a breath of fresh air.
Here were some of my favorite designs…
Elevator button labels
In a hotel that I stayed in the elevator buttons were labeled. The labels were a simple way to let you know what amenities existed on each floor. Very thoughtful.
Two button flush
Many toilets had two buttons to flush the toilet once you were done using it. The large button used more water while the smaller one used less water. It’s a great way to save water!
Feedback buttons for service
In the Denmark airport they had feedback buttons that allowed passengers to give their feedback on the airport service.
Recycling Machine
I stumbled by an entrance to a mall in Lithuania where people were bringing big bags of bottles and other recyclable materials. I followed these people until I realized what they were doing. They were bringing it to a recycling machine which paid them money in exchange for their trash. We need this in the USA! Click here to watch the video I shot.
Big light buttons
You can’t miss the button for the lights. They are big and easy to flip on and off even if your hands are full.
In flight remainder screen
The SAS airplane had a screen that told you how much longer your flight was going to take. They represented the journey with a bar chart and realtime plane flying over a map.
Plane bathroom occupied lights
These lights are hung above each bathroom on the plane. They signal to passengers if the bathroom is occupied or not. Once a passenger locks the stall the light turns from green to red signaling occupancy. No more awkward moments of walking to the bathroom only to find out its in use.
Cup holder on the back side of the seat tables
This was really neat. There was a cup holder on the bottom of the trays that slid out. If you didn’t want to hold your drink or take the tray out and cover your lap you could use the cup holder.
Automatic ticket scanner
Passengers easily scanned their tickets and boarded the plane. The human centered design of the scanners was inspiring. Passengers boarding the plane scanned lined up like usual, waited until it was there time to scane their ticket (the green light signals its ready to scan), and the gate opens signaling they are free to board the plane.
Hug circle
At the Merkatory in Estonia they have what they call the hug circle. The idea is simple: a circle that two people stand in to give one another a hug. What a great design to push people to connect on a deeper way!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!!!!
Automatic toilet lid covers
Wave your hand in front of the sensor and the toilet automajically rolls out a new toilet cover for your bum. It’s a beautiful time to be alive my friends.
Thanks for reading!
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