Imagine this, you’re wrapping up an important business call, hitting your stride on a deadline-based project, or just catching up with some good friends when suddenly the rings and interrupts the moment. You have three options: one, you can tune the sound out until it goes away, two, you can greet whoever’s at the door at the risk of losing quality time, or, you can install a doorbell that decides for you. The designers at Ontario-based 1Byone Products Inc. recently won 2020 iF Design Award in Discipline: Professional Concept with their ‘Do Not Disturb’ Doorbell, which thankfully provides the third option. While the residential device is not yet on the market, the targeted development time could take up to a year. The concept is simple: by displaying the green or red button on the DND doorbell’s exterior dial, users can either let visitors know that they’re around and available or encourage them to come back once they’re free to chat. When the doorbell’s button is set on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, visitors will feel discouraged from, well, disturbing. Better yet, if the visitor decides to ignore the message, then the doorbell still will not produce any sound despite the visitor pressing on. Of course, when the design is turned to its opposite setting, it works exactly as the common doorbell would. Along with the waterproof, outdoor dial, the designers with 1Byone Products Inc. designed a wireless transmitter that can be plugged in any three-prong outlet throughout the house. The design is extremely user-friendly, which only enhances the product’s basic functions. The three-prong transmitter’s dual-horn speaker produces a clearer and more concentrated doorbell ring. The dial that adheres to your chosen door is purposefully and visually simplistic, appealing to the product design’s universality. Whichever color the dial’s holes reveal, 1Byone designed the product so that the ‘Do Not Disturb’ message can be seen from all angles and in any light, which only enhances the doorbell’s user-friendliness. So, whether you’re self-quarantining for personal reasons or rushing to meet your deadline, there’s no need to explain, just turn the dial. Designers: