Michael’s unifying theories

All signs exist for a reason. Making a sign (or a policy) takes work. Therefore, this work is only done when some incident has caused someone somewhere to decide that the correct response is to expend effort ensuring this thing does not happen again. Now, one issue with this is that it is also a lot of effort largely in the form of risk acceptance to remove a policy or sign. So these things tend to accrue. It is rare for someone to ask if the number of mandatory training courses is still reasonable for example, because they don't want to be the one to remove one and then eventually have to explain that in a lawsuit or coronial inquest. So -- that sign in the Telstra employee bathrooms that asks people to stop pooping on everything? That was presumably because someone decided the correct response when faced with poop all over the place was to make a sign. It is also why you should wash your hands when you leave the bathroom. I guess as a follow-up as well -- organizations should remember that visitors sometimes read their signs, even though they're in the employee bathroom.