Sometimes the best products and business models do not win in the market, while lesser products get the triumph. The well-known QWERTY-layout from the keyboard was designed to prevent that the mechanical parts would grab each other during typing on old typing machines. The efficiency of typing and its connection to the place of the letter on the keyboard was not considered as a priority that time.

The Dvorak-layout, which is not that broadly known anymore in our days, on the contrary was based upon deep research and has shown good results in improving the speed of typing. The results of a comparative test show an improvement of 30% in terms of efficiency of work. Nowadays computers do not have those mechanical parts of the typing machines, so you would say, the Dvorak-layout would be the first choice layout for most of the people. But where the Dvorak wins in terms of efficiency QWERTY wins in terms of preference.



This great example teaches us a good lesson: obvious improvement of performance does not give a guaranty for success. People make their choices and build preferences upon many factors, and most of the time unconsciously. What you think is good for people, it is not necessary the same what people would find themselves best for them. Even more: people very often do not go for the good thing. More often, they go for a feeling-good experience.

Design Tips
The best way to find a balance between performance and preference is good observation. Do not trust only what people say, watch them doing things. Make conclusions, create design, and test it, observe and improve again.