The targets of UD

What makes inconvenience for left handed?

We asked our left handed friend about inconvenience in their daily lives.

• Automatic gates→Feels uncomfortableness when not entering the gate using their left hand.
• Kitchens→The design is made by right-handed, so it is inconvenient for left handed.
• Scissors, Knives→Difficult to use right handed items like these.

UD about handiness

UD for handedness shouldn’t be designed for only one handedness. It is said that 10% of Japanese are left handed and feel is feeling difficulty in many situations. For example, ticket slots and IC card readers are put on the right side of the automatic ticket gates. UD’s purpose is to create a design that all people can use Judging from it, we have to design a product for both right-handed people and left-handed people. We actually do not need to think about UD a lot about items that we use privately, but products that we use in groups, are necessary to consider UD.

For example, UD play cards have numbers written in the four corners. In the usual cases, when a left-handed person plays with regular cards, the cards hide the numbers in the corner. However, if they play with these UD cards, left handed person and a right handed person can play equally ? they both can see the numbers in the corner. In this way, we can realize UD with a little action.

UD in consideration for left handed people may help right handed people. Items that can be used for both handed means that you can use these in situations like if you injured your dominant arm. Items that are not designed for only one side handed people, could be a big merit for a lot of people.

If you want to get some hints about UD, trying to do things with your un-handedness hand or ask a left handed person about inconvenience in their life.