Assignment 7A
Paper Towel Dispensers
Opportunity: Everytime I go to use an automatic paper towel dispensers I need to get at least 2 sheets in order to completely dry my hands.
Paper towel dispensers should have atleast 5 inches more of paper come out with the first sheet.
- The who: Everyday people who use public bathrooms
- The what: Waste of paper or left with wet hands
- The why: Possibly trying to cut down costs
Testing the who: The who could be any person who needs to use a public bathroom. Everyone in my current who share the need. The only person who would probably not need this would be small children whom have small hands.
Testing the what: This what can range from knowing that you are going to need more paper because you are used to needing more and in turn wasting paper to being in a rush only getting one sheet of paper and being left with wet hands.
Testing the why: Maybe paper towel dispenser companies are unaware of this problem. Maybe they want us to continue using their machines in order to satisfy the need of swiping your hand and automatically receiving a paper towel.
Interview #1- This person spoke about how they also felt this small annoyance all the time and didn’t understand why this was the case. We also discussed and wondered whether other people find this as annoying as well.
Interview #2- This person did not agree with this problem and felt as though it was not a problem at all.
Interview #3- This person completely agreed with this problem and said it has been bothering her for years. She said she always needs to get 2 or 3 sheets from the automatic dispenser and it's annoying how long it takes to dispense.
Interview #4- This person said that they agree that it can be a problem and annoyance for some but it didn’t bother him.
Interview #5- This person agreed that it is very annoying to have to deal with the automatic dispensers at public restrooms. They don’t understand why it just doesn’t dispense enough paper towel in order to properly dry hands.
Given your interviews, what do you know about the opportunity that you didn't know before?
- The interviews that I conducted gave me a better perspective on what people believe about automatic paper towel dispensers in public places. This is a mere annoyance to seem and not a bother at all to others. It seems that something should be done to fix this problem. It would be relatively easy to fix as well.
