When interfaces fail, people annotate.

We all want our designs to be self-explanatory. When they aren't, people take matters into their own hands. They add sticky notes, handwritten labels, tape, and signs to explain what the interface should have said.

This is my ongoing collection of real-world designs that needed help. Every annotation is a tiny failure of communication between designer and user. And a small act of problem-solving by the people who have to live with the result.

I started this collection focused on credit card readers, but I'm expanding to annotated interfaces anywhere. Spotted one in the wild? You can send me your own examples.