Offline Usability: Voting Made Difficult
Malaysia is gearing up for General Election soon. Yesterday mainstream newspaper NST had an article about how people in Malaysia cannot even mark the voting ballots properly. It read:
AROUND the world, a simple X is all it takes to mark the spot on a ballot paper. But just leave it to Malaysians to get a little more creative when stating their choice of candidate…
…According to Election Commission figures, there were 134,058 spoilt votes cast for state assembly seats and 165,018 for parliamentary seats in 2004.
While it may sound so simple to just mark [X] beside the desired candidate, little they know that this is actually quite confusing for people, especially the elderly.
First of all, people never use [X] for selecting something. X is used for deleting, rejecting or making something void. In everyday life, people either tick or circle the preferred choice.
I am sure this problem happens in every country, it’s just more prevalent in one country than another. Sure, Governments can teach its people how to mark [X] correctly during elections and decrease the number of spoiled votes. But the better, more sustainable solution would be to introduce a system that is usable and intuitive to all people. Because when the system is flawed, you have to constantly teach the people how to use it. That means more expenses for the Government. But if the system is replaced with a functional one, the cost would decrease and there would be less errors and less headache during each election. Maybe using “tick” would help!? Or having separate “Yes” and “No” ballot boxes, where you could throw the deserved candidates? I am sure there will be dozens of other better alternatives if one was to brainstorm.
Electrolux fails usability too
On another related topic, here is a funny review of Electrolux vacuum cleaner by a frustrated customer on Amazon. When usability issues are small, people can ignore the problem. But when the design has a major usability problem, it actually makes your life miserable. Check out the review.
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By Rizwan on Feb 11, 2008
Good observation, in India too we have to mark a cross against the political party’s symbol. Makes most of the people come out of the booth asking for instructions :)
By Eddie Poh on Feb 11, 2008
I didn’t know that my fellow Malaysians are that ‘creative’. Some guy even drew a The Saint style stick figure on a 5-year event ballot paper. Amazing!
I have to wonder why the system is not fool-proof enough for the 300,000 odds voters. An [X] is good and straightforward, because it’s two pen strokes. A tick can have different styles, two-stroke tick, or single stroke that looks like a front slash. More technical argument and delay ensues.
This makes me wonder how the States’ caucuses vote casting method. Electronically?
By Chucks on Feb 11, 2008
The marks [X] is okay and easy for anybody to write. I think the Malaysians should be more careful because it is a delicate issue.
By Rice Blogger on Feb 11, 2008
I barely could read any of those word in the picture….i think 3 years older there is no way I could read the picture…if NST is sincere to have the effort to correct this mistake. NST should show step by step with bigger picture.
By Recliners on Feb 11, 2008
Hey that’s an interesting point: i never thought of it, but one always leaves a tick mark for something that one picks or elects, not a cross, except when you’re casting an electoral vote.
By Dining Room Furniture on Feb 11, 2008
India uses a simple method to solve this problem. They have a rubber stamp like device that is used to mark the correct spot. Simple, yet effective.
By Dining Room Furniture on Feb 11, 2008
The review is indeed hilarious. The comments even more so. Poor sod who bought it.
By Ades on Feb 12, 2008
DRF, stamp seems a good solution!
By Sergio on Feb 12, 2008
I hope you continue too. Of course, I could spend a year just reading everything you have already posted. But my votes for “keep bloggingâ€.