Saturday 28 August 2010

The key to pedantry

Since I wrote off my Saab last Christmas we've been a one car family - one Ka as it happens.

The Ka is a fine car - compact, reliable and a decent drive. But there's one thing that has always disturbed me about it (OK, disturbed is a bit too strong - let's say 'exercised my mind').

In my job usability is a big thing. We're always thinking about customer journeys, and making sure that things we deliver intuitive, consistent user experiences on our websites.

So you'll understand why I've always found it strange that to unlock the driver's door you turn the key anti-clockwise, but to unlock the boot you turn it clockwise. Why would they do that? What usability expert would have thought that made sense?

And then, this morning, the answer smacked me in the face. I was loading a few things into the car in preparation for a trip to Leek for the Bank Holiday weekend. The car was parked just outside the house and as I put the key into the passenger's door to unlock it - kapow! I turned it clockwise and it opened! That's right - just like you do to open the boot. My mind now in overdrive, I suddenly realised that in any other country this would be the driver's door, and everything finally made sense.

Now I can get on with my life.