Dear
Brand or Organisation,
8%
of the world's population is left-handed. Not the majority, but a fair few nonetheless.
Most
products in the world are designed with right-handed people in mind -
left-handed people just have to make do.
We
are not just talking about a pair of scissors here. Left-handed people get used
to having to live in right-handed communities, where everything
from the essential things to the luxuries in life cater to right-handed
citizens only.
Doors,
electronic equipment, food packaging and even the way hotel rooms are laid out
- all examples of where right-handed design and manufacturing occurs.
So
what's this Open Letter about?
Well,
this is not about a desire for a left-handed political movement or a pressure
group to force governments to ensure the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
is accorded to left-handed people around the world - though that might be a
good idea, given the continued poor treatment of kids who are left-handed in
some cultures.
History is not on the left-hander's side either, portraying
us the unclean, sinners, devil-worshippers, or just plain weird. Somehow
though we have survived and even flourished.
This
comes to the reason I am posting this Open Letter.
It is a call to
organisations and companies to consider 8% of the people who use your products
and services. You talk about brand experiences, you talk about customer
service, you talk about listening to customers. That's nice.
Yet too many of
your promises are based on a right-handed perspective.
Why not design
for left-handed people as well as right?
Manufacture for left-handed as well as
right.
Think left handed as well as right.
Why
have 120 versions of a right-handed suit when having ONE left-handed suit would
attract potentially a whole new set of customers to your door?
Why
design apps for the iPhone that can't be used by 8% of iPhone users, when a
little bit of extra programming time would ensure it would be accessible to ALL
iPhone users.
In
tough economic times, shouldn't all organisations and brands be thinking of
attracting ALL potential customers, rather than continually ignore a community?
Smart
brands and organisations will provide products and services to this largely untapped
community. To that end, I have decided to create the Left-Hand Friendly
campaign, which will highlight the companies and organisations that have made
an effort to consider the needs and wants of the left-handed communities around
the world.
So here are my next
steps:
1
Have a pretty logo for 'Left-Hand Friendly' . (Any designers interested in
helping me out?)
2
Encourage LH folk to join me.
3
Refine my first attempt of measuring a company's contribution to being
Left-Hand Friendly.
4
Start awarding the LHF logo to brands and organisations.
5 Make a LHF list of brands and organisations who have contributed to making
things better/easier for left-handed people.
So
dear Brand or Organisation, if you are already delivering to the Left-Handed
community, please let me know, and I will get your name on the list.
If
you are a brand or organisation that cannot see economic benefits in catering
to left-handed folk, or are bemused by the world of left-handedness, then feel
free to contact me via the blog.
Thanks for your time
Paul