Sounds like an exercise for Dribbble.

I mean to type, "Dribble is one big ****** **** for visual designers."

On your third point, from the format of Miss Universe announcements, the host announces the winner directly, and the first runner-up is assumed/announced right after.

Cody, you're correct. I've just watched clips of the previous three pageants; I will never trust my sister's word ever again.

Obviously they should just take a page from Super Smash Bros winner announcement, complete with Miss Universe in an intimidating pose.

His fault. A little logic would have been enough to determine that the average Filipina looks way better than the top-selection of both other countries.

Does this solution also take into account that the teleprompter was wrong? "A seven-second behind-the-scenes video shows Harvey immediately after naming the wrong winner -- Miss Colombia instead of Miss Philippines -- pointing to a cue card and talking to an unidentified person saying: “The teleprompter said Miss Universe – Colombia.”" foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/12/22/…

Does there have to be just one cue card?

There doesn't have to be only one card, but usually there's not a lot of time between the announcement of the second runner-up and the winner, so that's why Harvey has a card describing the top three contestants. You could, in theory, add a commercial break or give two cue cards for example.

I'd have avoided it by cancelling the entire spectacle that is televised pageants.

Why would you blame the card? I'm curious, because I read the card for the first time and it makes complete sense who won. It says MISS UNIVERSE 2015 and right below it Philippines - whats so hard about it?

@JonH It's not that the card is illegible or wrong, but in UX we like to pick things apart and make them as good as they can be. In my opinion this card leaves a lot to be desired with the wonky layout and undiscerning typeface.

@DasBeasto I understand that and agree but I don't think it is difficult. Sure we can style it very nicely, I love UX just as much as any of you...but blaming the card is not sensible. I looked at it for a mere second and knew right away who won and who didn't.

@JonH: Just because the card says it, doesn't mean it properly communicates it... that's the whole notion of good UX. It's hard to say this card is practicing good UX. (1) The information is aligned in a peculiar way, (2) it's not written in the same order it would be read aloud, (3) the most important info (names) is written in tiny print. If it was so easy to understand, I'm sure we wouldn't be here discussing it.

@LindseyD - Please READ my comments. I understand UX, I do it EVERYDAY. I'm saying the post reads as if it was SO difficult to read the card as to who won. I am stating it really isn't. It took me less than a second to see that...If my cognitive behavior was that fast it can't be that bad!

@JonH: I've read your comments, I'm not belittling your understanding of UX. Let me rephrase... You seem to be in the minority of people who quickly deciphered this card. It took me a full 30 seconds to figure out what information was being communicated.

I feel like the problem is that we say 2nd Runner Up ("2nd" == "3rd place"), 1st Runner Up ("1st" == "2nd Place") and then the winner. Why not call a spade a spade and let the numbers and words actually reflect what they are.

30 seconds? Really? It says 2nd runner up...USA. 1st runn up...colombia and clearly at the bottom the winner of MISS UNIVERSE 2015. I'm in agreement with the font / style being used is poorly done. But it is hardly difficult to understand who won. Maybe the whole crowd and pressure caused him to mess up, but to me I just cannot understand it.

@JonH that's fair, there certainly is human error and blaming the card may be unfounded, I think the idea is just that if the card was better designed there would have been less possibility of error, the host must have been under a lot of pressure and any little bit could've helped.

I agree...One thing that would of helped with all of this is keeping each section on its own line. The 2nd runner up is USA (newline) The winner is Phillipines (newline) The 1st runner up is assumed...

@JonH To be fair, we have the benefit of hindsight and the comfort of not hosting a live show being watched by (tens of) millions of people around the world. I haven't watched the entire show, so I don't know how much Harvey had spent looking at the card.

@JonH The designer of the card can change how the cue cards are made. They can't change the competence of its reader. If you think of it as the user's fault, then you're not designing around user incompetence.

I agree, except "incompetence" is a harsh word; "limitation" is probably more Harvey originally didn't see the "Miss Universe 2015" section because while he was reading the "1st Runner Up" section, it was physically impossible for him to see the "Miss Universe 2015" section because of the distance between them. He only would've looked in the lower-right corner if he already knew he was supposed to look in the right corner.

Here's how Harvey perceived the card. Watch a clip of the initial announcement; Harvey doesn't mention Miss Philippines at all even though he's supposed to name the first runner-up after the winner.