You design an application. Users are supposed to add data in a certain way; however, you’ve built an assumption into the code without being explicit to the user. The system is still not quite done; but you had to put it into production. Who has time for writing documentation when the system continually needs bug fixes? Has your feature development turned into reactive bug fixes? No matter how well you design something a user does something you didn’t intend.

Did Steve Jobs Design the iPad to Be a Doorstop for a Security Gate?

Of course not! He designed it to be that third device we don’t really need yet we’ve given our kids the old ones we bought after we realized they’re pretty good for entertainment in the car. When I was visiting a family friend in Greece though, who had an iPad when they were still novel, she walked us to our car and her security gate was closing. What did she do? She stuck the iPad in between the metal gate and brick wall. The aluminum case held up just fine and she didn’t get locked out. Why am I bringing this anecdote up? Because, a user decided that iPads could be doorsteps without any regard to what designers, engineers, or sales reps thought.

No system is perfect and no matter how well you design it, your users will find a way to break it or frustrate you.

What’s an experience you’ve had of users doing something unexpected?