Elevators

Though not designed for the disables, elevators were designed initially for industry usage. Since People are always lazy to climb stairs, elevators became quite pervasive currently, and can also serve for the disables.

Here as an example, I observed the elevators in the Tisch School of Arts, and concluded several staffs

Suggestion of the status

In the first floor, the elevator has a suggestion bar to show the current floors, but in other floors, there is no staffs to show where the elevator currently is. When the elevator arrived, it will sound “DING” to tell people it comes.

In each floor there will be a label to show the structure of the floor, like where is the elevator and where is the stairs

And inside there will be a light to show if this elevator will go up or down.

Inside there is some instructions for the users to read and follow, and has the blind-words in each button. And if the button has been pushed, it will bright:

Time-Consuming

I test the use time of the elevator, get the datas like belows:

1. moving speed: 12 floors = 30 seconds, 2.5 seconds per floor, and be same up and down
2. Open doors are frustrated, when stop, it takes 4 seconds to open the door
3. when the door opens, it takes another 5 seconds to keep the doors opening
4. After that, the door will take another 4 seconds to close.

So if you are unlucky, the total amount of waiting will be 3.3 mins to go from the ground to 12th floor. And waiting is quite struggling.

The Situation People use the elevator

An interesting find is , if people going with their friends, they will be more patient for waiting the elevator; if people going along, when they find the elevator is not near the ground, they will use the stairs, even it will take more time.

People will re-check the buttons, no matter whether it is bright.

Most people will try to get into the elevator even it looks too crowded.

Suggestions

Use this screen, to show the status inside the elevators:

It will be easily to tell people if there are many people in the elevator, and can also be able to tell people the current position of the elevator, without a big modify.