Please observe the image above – especially the notice on the statue. It reads:

PLEASE STAY OFF STATUE

This is at the Swimming pool that I go to. Every other day someone is leaning on the statue checking their email or talking on the phone. It is like a crutch. I am sure SOME of them have seen the notice but since nobody cares much (“tragedy of the commons”) they may not feel like caring either.

For me, they are partially at fault. The designer has to take the other part of the blame. If you design is a system and a set of rules that can EASILY be broken, you don’t have the right to complain when they ARE broken.

The dilemma is clear. You don’t want to put up a monstrous sign that will be bigger than the statue. If you put a smaller sign, it may not get noticed (as in this case) – so you have have some balance. May be do something to the sign that will catch ENOUGH attention but not so much that people stop noticing the statue. Or something else that works. But please design the rules so that they are not EASILY broken.

Have a great week ahead.