There are a gazillion web designers out there, I mean loads of them.  A lot of them preach the gospel of UI and UX (User Interface and User Experience) and tweet until the end days where humans won’t be required to operate web sites.  Just check Twitter there’s tons of them.

So as a humble customer looking to have their web site redesigned by mere demigods of the design world I’ve devised a simple test to show if these guys really practise what they preach.

I call it “the bog roll test”.

1. Arrange an appointment with your chosen web design firm.

2. Let them harp on for ten minutes about their work, their gushing Oscar award winning passion for quality websites….

3. At the point they say, “user experience”, politely stop them and say, “may I use your toilet please?”.

4. On arrival, sit on the toilet (even if you’re a man and only need a number 1).  And look to see the position of the bog roll.  If it’s in your field of vision from where you sit with your head pointing directly forward and you can easily reach the bog roll then they have passed the test.

5. If the bog roll is sitting on the cistern behind you and you have to arch your arm-crane-like to grab the tubular notepad then it’s an automatic fail.  They just don’t get it 🙂

6. If all’s well then carry on with the gushing UX speech, other wise just grab your coat and run while shouting, “you failed the bog roll test!!!!”.