Toilet Noir
Brief
Toilet Noir is a user- centred research project with design recommendation as the outcome. There has been conflicts between men and women in the battlefield of toilets on the issue: if men should lower the toilet seat back down after using it, or if women should do the same thing before using it?
Objective
1: A better system for men, women, and toilets?
2: What do men and women feel psychologically when seeing toilet seat up or down?
Proposal for Objective 1
A better system for men, women, and toilet regarding to the sum of work done by all the parties, and the total wear of toilet seat hinge.
A computer simulation on two schemes:
Scheme1 the men raise the seat before using the toilet, and lower it back when done. In this case, women does no work. Scheme 2, men raise the seat before using the toilet if it isn't raised already and the women lower it if it isn't lowered already. Neither change the seat position after using the toilet.
Assumptions:
- The average frequency of toilet usage was the same for both men and women and there was exactly 1 man and 1 woman in the house.
- The amount of work done in raising the toilet seat is the same as that in lowering it.
Proposal for Objective 2
Toilet speaks. When men and women step in the toilet and see the gesture of the toilet seat, the gesture actually convey messages to users.
Proposal for Objective 2 Video