SDP-008. Do the Penis Test and Think About What Could Go Wrong

Daniele Catalanotto and Guy Martin discuss some adult themes around principle number eight from the Service Design Principles 1-100 book, written by Daniele.

We delve into the concept of anticipating and mitigating potential misuses of a service or product.

Daniele introduces the “penis test,” inspired by the challenges faced by the early internet service ChatRoulette. This test serves as a metaphor for considering how a service might be misused in ways not initially intended by its creators. We explore the importance of this foresight in service design, especially in protecting users from unexpected and potentially harmful experiences.

The conversation extends to the realm of graphic design, where Daniele shares anecdotes about logos inadvertently resembling inappropriate images. We discuss how such oversights can lead to unintended interpretations and emphasize the need for designers to anticipate and mitigate these risks.

This episode is a candid exploration of the unexpected challenges in service and product design and the importance of considering all possible outcomes to ensure a safe and positive user experience.

Summary drafted by ChatGPT

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:05 Welcome
• 00:33 Will it hurt?
• 01:19 Not for the intended use
• 03:45 Small mitigations
• 04:53 Sexy Logos
• 06:52 Test Results are in
• 07:19 Outro