I don't peel much (and a good knife often works just as well), but I hope I have one like this somewhere; I've lost track.

It's a long one.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90239156...nged-the-world

By Mark Wilson

One of the most important moments in the history of industrial design occurred in 1990, when the kitchen brand OXO defied the traditional, knuckle-bleeding tools of culinary tradition, and released its Good Grips line. To this day, these tools are the best articulation of the potential of inclusive design: Developed for people with arthritis, Good Grips had thick rubbery handles that were also better tools for everyone to use...

(last paragraphs)

....Later on, the American Arthritis Foundation gave us some recognition. We put the endorsement onto the package, but we took that off later because we realized, one of the things thats really important for inclusive design is that the product isnt stigmatizing. If you identify it as something for arthritis, its stigmatizing for someone with arthritis, and it prevents someone buying it who otherwise might, because they think its for someone with special needs. We realized someone in need would instantly realize this was better for them, anyway.

Meanwhile, to this day, everybody attributes the function of the peeler to the handle. But the handle isnt actually the reason why it works. The reason the peeler works so well is because the blade is really sharp. If you put a dull blade on our peeler, it wont peel any better than our peeler. If you put a sharp blade on a stick, it will peel was well as our peeler. At a factory, wed just hold the blades and peel carrots. If you couldnt hear it cut, it was sharp. The factory thought we were crazy. But that was actually the secret behind it, and is true to most of the tools. The performance is more important than anything else, second to that is the design that communicated what it does.

(end)


Lenona.