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EquiPad Dispenser Usability Study
A comprehensive usability evaluation of EquiPad's in-stall period product dispenser, conducted as a student project.
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Product Overview
EquiPad aims to address key challenges menstruators face in accessing period products (availability, quality, price, privacy) by offering free and comfortable products in all US public restrooms.
Their patent-pending in-stall dispenser provides both tampons and pads, designed for intuitive user operation and efficient restocking by maintenance staff.
Executive Summary
EquiPad sought to evaluate the usability of their dispensers to support their upcoming soft launch in Summer 2025. Our comprehensive usability study focused on understanding the ease of use for the dispenser prototype while providing actionable feedback to inform EquiPad's market entry approach.
Key Processes Evaluated
  • Maintenance restocking procedures
  • Period product dispensing functionality
  • Overall user experience assessment
Target Users
  • Menstruators (primary users)
  • Custodial staff (maintenance users)
  • Facility managers
Our UW HCDE Research Team conducted usability testing between February 28th and March 5th, utilizing both individual testing sessions and focus group formats to ensure comprehensive data collection.
Participant Demographics
7
Total Participants
Diverse representation across age groups and user types
4
Menstruators
Primary users who have personal experience with periods
3
Non-Menstruators
Custodial staff and facility managers
Age Distribution
Gender identity breakdown included 4 female-identifying participants, 2 male-identifying participants, and 1 non-binary participant, ensuring diverse perspectives on the product's usability and appeal.
Data Collection
Quantitative Data
  • Task completion rates (Success/Fail)
  • Number of steps required
  • Time to completion measurements
  • Error frequency and patterns
Qualitative Data
  • Participant quotes and comments
  • Behavioral observations
  • Audio and video recordings
  • Post-test interview insights
Findings Severity Framework
Highest Severity
Persistent issues that may harm users or completely prevent product use. These findings require immediate attention and resolution.
Moderate Severity
Issues occurring relatively frequently that disrupt product use or lead to unpleasant user experiences requiring design modifications.
Lowest Severity
Issues that distract users or occur rarely, disrupting pleasant user experience but not preventing core functionality.
Key Findings Overview
Our usability study revealed critical insights that will significantly impact EquiPad's design iteration and market readiness. The findings are systematically organized by severity level, with each discovery supported by quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback from both custodial participants (CP) and menstruator participants (MP).

Participant Key: CP = Custodial Participant, MP = Menstruator Participant
Finding 1: Dispensing Inefficiency
High Severity Issue
Task Description
Participants were instructed to dispense a pad. Upon completion of the task, the dispensing function was discussed.
Findings
Performance Metrics
The average time for dispensing one pad was 8 seconds - significantly longer than user expectations for a simple dispensing task.
User Feedback
Every single participant commented that they found the dispensing task difficult to complete.
Design
The opening of the dispenser was too narrow for the pad to be easily dispensed, creating friction and user frustration.
Recommendation
Recommendation: Widen the dispenser feeder opening or reduce the size of pads to ensure smooth, efficient dispensing that meets user expectations for speed and ease of use.
Finding 2: View panel is distracting and compromises aesthetic integrity
High Severity Issue
Task Description
Participants were asked about the overall feel and appearance of the prototype.
Findings
General Discomfort
Participants consistently expressed discomfort with the transparent viewing panel, saying it was distracting from the product purpose.
Aesthetics
Users found the transparent panel off-putting, stating, "The viewer is off-putting, I don't want to see that when I'm sitting in the stall." (MP2)
Maintenance & Utility
Participants cited practical maintenance concerns ("The glass is just something else to clean/polish" (CP1)) and noted the panel wasn't necessary for tasks like restocking ("I typically restock the toilet paper dispenser by reaching up to feel for the cardboard, I don't need to see to restock." (CP1)).
Recommendation
Recommendation: Reduce the size of the viewer significantly or remove it altogether to improve aesthetic appeal and user comfort.
Finding 3: Period Product Challenges
Medium Severity Issue
Task Description
Participants were instructed to dispense a pad. Upon completion of the task, the dispensing function was discussed.
Findings
1
User Struggle
Participants struggled to complete dispensing tasks with the thick pads provided, leading to user errors and frustration. "I feel like I'm wrestling [with the prototype]." - MP1
2
Noise Concerns
Errors caused by thick pads were noisy and could be embarrassing during in-stall use, compromising discrete dispensing. "Discrete dispensing is really important" - MP1
3
Waste Issues
Final pads in a roll lack sufficient length to reach the dispenser opening, meaning roll ends could be wasted.
Recommendation
Recommendation: Reduce pad thickness and add a mechanism to extend the end of the pad roll to prevent waste while ensuring quiet, discrete operation.
Finding 4: Restocking Inefficiencies
Medium Severity Issue
Task Description
Custodial participants were asked to compare their current routine restocking procedures at UW to the EquiPad prototype, focusing on the process of restocking the dispenser.
Findings
Time Concerns
The comparison revealed significant time and efficiency concerns that could impact adoption among maintenance staff.
"It's like, slightly time consuming... in the mornings, when you are rushing, you have a whole bunch of stuff to get done, like restocking bathroom products, and taking extra time to do that [restocking the EquiPad] could be a little irritating." - CP1
Current System Advantages
Custodial participants praised their existing UW dispenser for requiring low maintenance, minimal cleaning, vendor compatibility, and proper product fit.
Adoption Resistance
CPs found little compelling reason to switch from their current effective system to the more time-consuming EquiPad solution.
Recommendation
Recommendation: Collect additional feedback from bathroom service/maintenance professionals and redesign restocking process for greater efficiency.
Finding 5: Overall Design Concerns
Medium Severity Issue
Task Description
Participants across all testing sessions were asked to evaluate the overall design of the product and provide feedback on its concept and specific components.
Findings
Users across all testing sessions provided consistent feedback about the product's overall design, with many suggesting improvements to both the general concept and specific components. While 100% of participants found the product concept interesting, none expressed desire to use it again in its current form.
Key Design Criticisms
  • Product perceived as "bulky" (CP2)
  • Feeder mouth location and shape problematic
  • Pad roll design needs refinement
Recommendation
Recommendation: Increase product appeal by shifting away from the modular design approach to enhance user experience and improve adoption potential.
Positive Insights & Testing Success
Security Validation
Janitorial participants unanimously agreed that lock and key mechanisms were necessary for the dispenser, validating EquiPad's security approach.
Comprehensive Feedback
Users provided extensive feedback ranging from process incompatibilities to industrial design critiques, giving the design team abundant opportunities for improvement.
Testing Environment
Testing sessions proceeded smoothly with participants feeling comfortable sharing honest, constructive opinions throughout the process.
Strategic Recommendations
1
Short-term Modifications
Modify dispenser design to increase dispensing efficiency and reduce task completion time. This includes widening the dispenser opening, reducing product waste, and internal design modifications.
2
Aesthetic Improvements
Remove the viewer panel and add clear signage to increase clarity of use while improving aesthetic integrity and user privacy comfort.
3
Product Line Expansion
Create various product sizes to accommodate both small and large institutions with different capacity.
4
Digital Support Integration
Potentially add QR codes linking to instruction pages for both dispensing and restocking as a means to provide ongoing user support and reduce confusion.
Study Limitations & Future Research
1
Time Constraints
With only 8 weeks to complete design, administration, and data analysis, the study faced significant time pressure that limited the depth of certain analyses.
2
Compensation Limitations
Inability to compensate participants reduced participation among custodial and menstruating users who were initially interested, limiting sample size and diversity.
3
Recruitment Challenges
Graduate student status and limited contact information for custodial staff made recruiting diverse participants beyond campus particularly challenging.
4
Testing Structure
Some sessions lacked sufficient facilitators, making data collection challenging. Future testing requires at least two facilitators per session for optimal results.
Future research should incorporate proactive recruitment strategies, structured compensation, and enhanced testing protocols to capture more robust patterns and insights for product development.