Examples

A reader asked if I could provide some examples of my theory concerning needs versus preferences.

Remember the first day of class, the ritual of calling role? The simplest way is for the teacher to read the names and have the students respond, right?

Works great for most students, except maybe that kid with the first name they hate, who’s always gone by a nickname and dreads the first day of school when everybody laughs as the teacher reads their name. Or the kid with the difficult-to-pronounce name who endures 7 or 8 classes of teachers butchering their name.

Instead, why not have the students introduce themselves? Tell them up front you want to know about nicknames and that you will probably fumble spelling and pronunciation. That way, any mistakes belong to the teacher rather than the student.

It’s such a simple way to avoid an all too common, and completely unnecessary, source of embarrassment.

Additional benefit – this method communicates to every student that they’re respected.

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How about curb cuts? Originally intended for people like me in wheelchairs, it turns out they benefit lots of other folks. Moms with strollers. Elderly folks. Skateboarders. Travelers with rolling luggage. The whole community benefits from what’s been called “the curb cut effect.”

It’s a simple principle. When you organize and design from the beginning around the broadest possible needs, it’s relatively simple to include more specific preferences.

Doesn’t work the other way around.

I’m curious where you might see this principle working (or not) in your experience.

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If you’re interested, here’s another example from the historic Stanley hotel in Estes Park.