Rice cooker
Particular aspect I find good
The simplicity of the user interface.
Explain why it's good
There are two actions that the user can perform on the rice cooker: (1) start cooking, or (2) no cooking. The universally understood on/off switch on the rice cooker makes it easy for the user to determine that pressing the switch down is to start the rice cooking and pushing it up is to cancel or stop cooking.
There are two states that the rice cooker can be in when turned on: (1) cooking, or (2) keep warm. The two lights above the switch clearly indicates these states.
Shower control
Particular aspect I find good
The digital shower control
Explain why it's good
By using a digital input rather than a traditional knob, it allows the user to precisely adjust the water temperature. It is also easier for the user to repeat the same temperature from day to day.
The interface is a TV guide that lists all the available TV shows on my TV.
Particular aspect I find bad
The TV guide is displayed as the first screen when the TV is turned on.
Explain why it's bad
I rarely use the TV guide. So everytime the TV is turned on, I have to purposely look for the remote control (since this button is not accessible thru the TV itself) and press the 'Guide' button in order to turn the TV guide off.
Why it might have been desigend that way
It assumes that whenever someone turns on the TV, he/she needs to use the TV guide in order to determine which show to watch.
A better design
Only bring up the TV guide when the user press the 'Guide' button. Do not turn in on by default when the TV is turned on.
Windows Explorer allows users to copy files from one folder to another. When the files being copied already exist in the new folder, Windows Explorer gives a popup asking whether you would like to replace the existing file.
Particular aspect I find bad
When copying multiple files from one folder to another, some of these files may not exist in the new folder and some may. For the files that do not exist in the new folder, the operation will copy them. But for the files that do exist in the new folder but if I do not want to replace them, then the only way is to press 'No' to every one of these files.
Explain why it's bad
If I have 1000 files to copy from one folder to another and 800 files do not exist in the new folder and 200 files do exist; and I do not know which 200 files exist in the new folder. Then it will copy the 800 files normally, but will ask me 200 times whether I want to replace the 200 files.
Why it might have been designd that way
Perhaps to make sure the user reviews every one of these replacements.
A better design
Add a 'No to All' button.