I want to see that other fish again!

This is a rather common bad example! and you probably all had an experience like this:

Let’s say you are in the Zoo – or in the new burger restaurant nearby. On the screen you just got a glimpse of the piece of information you are looking after (this interesting worm-like fish or the ingredients of the oriental burger) – but  before you were able to  read it, the image changed. Bad luck. You’ll have to wait the whole cycle, look at fish you already know, see burgers and fries you do not want to eat, until finally, eventually, if you’re patient enough, you will get the information you want. This is actually worst-case, as the sole purpose of this kind of media is to pass on information.

So we have a system that is actually unfit to fulfill it’s very purpose in a smart way. And it quite probably was more expensive than a simple alternative solution and will also break in a year. This is crazy!

Please note that people talk about the benefit of systems like these – the possibility to easily change content. Well, in 90% of the time you will notice, that content is not up to date. As it is much to difficult, complicated or time-consuming for most people in real life to use it. Much more complicated than changing a printed sign. But even if it WAS used: Changing of content is a job for the owner of this system. The system might be very good in this. The main job of the system is still presenting information to the customers. And if it fails in this, it is just a regression compared to the printed sign it replaced.

I, at least, want the old signs back. So that I can again learn about the fish without constant interruption. Please!