The Naughty Step is a technique for taking toddlers and young children out of their current context, and into a calm and different environment whilst they can calm down. Afterwards, the parent can discuss with the child why they were there as a way of avoiding repeat behaviour.
The general recommendation is for 1 minute for each year; so a three year old would sit for three minutes in a time-out location (such as the first step in a set of stairs, or a chair in the corner of a room). As young children are unable to measure time or understand clocks, Naughty Step provides a timer for parents that displays a coloured bar which can be pre-set, and then graphically animates down to the bottom.
This application can be used as an aid to parents following the Naughty Step technique. For more information about the Naughty Step, see parenting articles (such as at SuperNanny) regarding its usage.