Placebo button

A placebo button, also called an idiot button, is a push-button with apparent functionality that actually has no effect when pressed, analogous to a placebo. In other cases, a control like a thermostat may not be connected.

Although non-functional, the buttons can give the user an illusion of control. In some cases the button may have been functional, but may have failed or been disabled during installation or maintenance. Only in relatively rare cases will the button have been deliberately designed to do nothing.^[1]

In many cases, a button may not appear to do something, but in fact cause behavior that is not immediately apparent; this can give the appearance of it being a placebo button.

Walk buttons

Many walk buttons at pedestrian crossings were once functional in New York City, but now serve as placebo buttons.^[2]

Elevator close buttons

Some door-close buttons in elevators are placebo buttons, although some of them do in fact change the timing, and others are functional only when activated with a maintenance key.^[1][3]

London Underground train door buttons

London Underground 1992 stock and 1996 stock include non-functional door open buttons - the doors instead opening automatically down the entire train. In addition, London Underground D stock used on the District line were built with door open buttons which originally worked but were later disabled with doors being opened automatically by the driver. These buttons were subsequently removed when the stock was refurbished.

Office thermostats

It has been reported that the temperature set point adjustment on thermostats in many office buildings in the United States of America are non-functional, installed to give tenants' employees a similar illusion of control. ^[4][5]

See also

• Illusion of control

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Lockton, Dan (2008-10-01). "Placebo buttons, false affordances and habit-forming". Design with intent. http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2008/10/01/placebo-buttons-false-affordances-and-habit-forming/. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
2. ^ Luo, Michael (2004-02-27). "For Exercise in New York Futility, Push Button". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/27/nyregion/27BUTT.html. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
3. ^ Paumgarten, Nick (2008-04-21). "Up and Then Down — The lives of elevators". The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/04/21/080421fa_fact_paumgarten?currentPage=all. Retrieved 2009-09-02. 
4. ^ Sandberg, Jared (2003-01-15). "Employees Only Think They Control Thermostat". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1042577628591401304.html. Retrieved 2009-09-02. 
5. ^ Katrina C. Arabe (2003-04-11). ""Dummy" Thermostats Cool Down Tempers, Not Temperatures". http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/archives/2003/04/dummy_thermosta.html. Retrieved 2010-02-13.