The Communication Studio

Burpless Oil Change

Everyday UX : The essence of usability design is the compulsion to make things work.

UX ain't just for the InterWeb

I added oil to my car the other day. It seemed natural and common-sensical to hold the bottle at the top and pour with the mouth below and close to the target. Like so:

But the oil "burped" as it came out, because the bottle couldn't "breathe".

The oil poured slowly and I had to be careful with the inconstant flow.

I realized that I really wanted to pour from the top. In this way, the mouth of the bottle would allow equalizing air in sooner - so that the fluid would pour quickly and smoothly.

 

Here's my UX design suggestion

...for those of us who are "fluid dynamics-impaired": Engineer some supergraphics or indicators into those oil containers as no-brainer hints as to how to use 'em:

  • A 'big arrow' or 'hand' image
  • A bold CTA that says "This end up"
  • A handgrip as part of the container structure