Bad Usability Calendar

Perfect wallpaper for any project room. The Bad Usability Calendar from Norwegian company Netlife Research.

At UI 11 last week I was fortunate to meet Eidar (photo) from Netlife Research. His usability firm made a Bad Usability Calendar, which is absolutely fantastic. I’m putting the link here directly, as their pages are in Norwegian.

Bad usability calendar 2006 screenshot
They also did a similar calender for 2005, but unfortunately only in Norwegian.

The calendar is an absolutely must-have asset for any future projects. I see several benefits:

  • Good humour makes usability easy to understand
  • Easy to understand for all project resources
  • Visibility of usability in projects
  • An actual calendar that can be used for simple scheduling (at least for some of the months that are not completely covered by popup-windows or similar!)

And I will also print a poster to decorate my manager’s wall next to “The importance of User Experience” poster by Frank Spillers. In my opinion the best visual explanation of user experience.

Update 2006-11-10: 2007 calendar is now open for suggestions.

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22 Responses to “Bad Usability Calendar”

  1. » Usability als Kalender - Dr. Web Weblog Says:

    […] Eine Idee der Norwegischen Firma Netlife Research. Usability-Tipps in Form eines Kalenders. Herunterzuladen als PDF in Englischer Sprache. Keine große Sache, aber nett gemacht. via Jesper Rønn-Jensen […]

  2. baldo Says:

    nice examples of bad design!

  3. Eidar from NetLife Research Says:

    I’m glad you liked the calendar. We will make a new calendar for next year and it will be available under some sort of creative commons license. Our aim is to share the pitfalls of bad usability with as many as possible. But, be aware if you try to use the calendar in daily life as your work-calendar (as I have) it will have some serious side effects ;-)

  4. justaddwater.dk | UI Conf: My Higlights from UI11 Says:

    […] justaddwater.dk Instant Usability & Web Standards “I would love to change the world,                but they won’t give me the source code.” « Bad Usability Calendar […]

  5. Usability Kalender at Complex solutions to simple problems Says:

    […] [via justaddwater] […]

  6. » Blogged by Christian Watson - Bad Usability Calendar - Webmaster News Blog Says:

    […] [via justaddwater] […]

  7. TYPO3 Says:

    Nice calendar!

  8. Putting people first Says:

    Bad usability calendar…

    Since it is World Usability Day next week (with us of Experientia taking charge of the Italy event), I couldn’t resist posting this hilarious ‘bad usability calendar’.
    It was created by the Norwegian usability consultancy Netlife R…

  9. Thor Fredrik Eie Says:

    Hi Jesper – NetLife Research have started out a global brainstorm for the Bad Usability Calendar 2007 over at our blog. Give us your ideas for next year :)

  10. » Blogged by Christian Watson - Bad Usability Calendar - My Webmaster News Blog Says:

    […] [via justaddwater] […]

  11. justaddwater.dk | Bad Usability Calendar 2007 open for proposals Says:

    […] Our Norwegian friends at Netlife Research have opened for suggestions to next years Bad Usability Calendar. I already used the 2006 calendar with great impact in my professional engagements, and I’m really looking forward to next year’s version. To make a calendar for 2007 that has the same level of unusual unusefulness, we would like your feedback. […]

  12. Tyner Blain Says:

    Bad Usability Calendar From Netlife Research…

    What a great way to demonstrate 12 key usability concepts – creating a calendar where each concept is demonstrated. You’ve heard the saying – “If you can’t be a good example, be a horrible warning.” Here is that saying manifes…

  13. Thor Fredrik Eie Says:

    The 2007 version has been released: http://www.iallenkelhet.no/bad-usability-calendar-2007-is-here

    Go grab yourself a copy!

  14. justaddwater.dk | Bad Usability Calendar 2007 Finally Ready Says:

    […] Bad Usability Calendar (2006) […]

  15. justaddwater.dk | Bad Usability Calendar 2007 in Danish Says:

    […] Justaddwater.dk: Bad Usability Calendar (2006) […]

  16. justaddwater.dk | Jakob Nielsen Mentions Bad Usability Calendar in Latest Newsletter Says:

    […] Justaddwater.dk: Bad Usability Calendar (2006) Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox for February 12 is now online at: > http://www.useit.com/alertbox/government-nonprofit.html […]

  17. TYPO3 Agency Says:

    Beautiful demonstration. Let’s hope it reaches enough people :-)

  18. justaddwater.dk | Happy 2nd birthday Says:

    […] Bad Usability Calendar […]

  19. justaddwater.dk | Bad Usability Calendar 2008 Open For Proposals Says:

    […] Justaddwater.dk: Bad Usability Calendar (2006) […]

  20. TYPO3 Service Provider Says:

    Nice calendar!

  21. George Schmittle Says:

    On the following web application, please check out the two-month calendar widget overlay by tabbing to one of the date (depart and return) fields.

    http://www.kayak.com/

    I’d like to use this type of overlay for the “From:” & “To:” date fields on one of our Web applications but to do so it must be “Section 508 compliant” (i.e., also provide keyboard access to the calendars for mobility impaired users”). Do you know of any applications that have similar Calendar Widget overlays that are 508 Compliant?

    Thanks,

    George

  22. Usability Lesetipps | Jakob-Nielsen, Usability, Webdesign | Dr. Web Magazin Says:

    […] Eine Idee der Norwegischen Firma Netlife Research. Usability-Tipps in Form eines Kalenders. Herunterzuladen als PDF in Englischer Sprache. Keine große Sache, aber nett gemacht. via Jesper Rønn-Jensen […]