Dvorak vs Workman — A Detailed Comparison

Dvorak (1936) and Workman (2010) are both ergonomic alternatives to QWERTY — but with different finger philosophies. Dvorak emphasizes index fingers; Workman emphasizes middle fingers. Choosing between them is personal preference and hand anatomy.

Quick comparison

Aspect	Dvorak	Workman
Released	1936	2010
Designer	August Dvorak	OJ Bucao
Finger emphasis	Index fingers	Middle fingers
Home row vowels	Left	Mixed
Adoption	~1M users	<100K users
Community	Established	Small but active
Documentation	Extensive	Good

Dvorak philosophy

Index finger emphasis

• Strongest finger does most work
• Common letters under index fingers
• Heavy index workload

Vowels on left home row

• A O E U I on left home row
• Left hand handles vowels
• Right hand handles consonants

Alternating hands

• Common words alternate left-right-left
• Smoother typing rhythm
• Reduced same-hand strain

Workman philosophy

Middle finger emphasis

• Middle finger naturally precise
• Less stretching for index
• More even finger workload

Reduced index strain

• Index does less reaching
• Concentric finger movement
• Better for some hand sizes

Same-finger digraphs minimized

• Avoids letters typed by same finger in sequence
• Smoother flow
• Less micro-pauses

Home row comparison

Dvorak

Left: a o e u i Right: d h t n s

Vowels left, common consonants right.

Workman

Left: a s h t g Right: y n e o i

Mixed vowels/consonants both hands.

QWERTY (for reference)

Left: a s d f g Right: h j k l ;

Frequency-suboptimal arrangement.

Speed claims

Dvorak claimed

• 30%+ faster than QWERTY (Dvorak's original claim)
• Research shows: 5-15% actually
• Disputed magnitude

Workman claimed

• Comparable to Dvorak
• Subjectively better ergonomics
• Limited research base

Real-world

• Both ~5-15% faster than QWERTY at peak
• Roughly equivalent end speeds
• Subjective comfort differs by person

Learning curve

Dvorak transition

• 6-12 weeks to match QWERTY speed
• Significant relearning (32 keys move)
• Established teaching methods

Workman transition

• 6-12 weeks similar to Dvorak
• Different patterns to learn
• Less educational material

Both require similar time investment.

Pros and cons

Dvorak pros

• ✓ Decades of community + tools
• ✓ Universal OS support
• ✓ Established teaching methods
• ✓ Most-studied alternative
• ✓ Hardware available (Dvorak labels)

Dvorak cons

• ✗ Dramatic layout change (32 keys move)
• ✗ Index finger fatigue for some
• ✗ Compatibility issues vs QWERTY

Workman pros

• ✓ Middle finger emphasis (some prefer)
• ✓ Less aggressive same-finger sequences
• ✓ Active small community
• ✓ Open-source documentation

Workman cons

• ✗ Tiny adoption
• ✗ Less hardware support
• ✗ Fewer teaching resources
• ✗ Less studied/validated

Who should choose Dvorak

• Want most-established alternative
• Index fingers feel strong for you
• Need maximum community support
• Like decades-tested design

Who should choose Workman

• Middle fingers feel stronger subjectively
• Tried Dvorak/Colemak unsuccessfully
• Enjoy niche/experimental layouts
• Same-finger digraphs bothered you in Dvorak

Better alternative for most: Colemak

For most QWERTY users considering switching:

• Colemak is better starting point
• Only 17 keys move (vs Dvorak's 32, Workman's similar)
• Easier transition
• More popular community than Workman
• Comparable ergonomic benefits

See Colemak vs Workman.

Setup for either

Software

• OS-level layouts built-in (Dvorak) or installable (Workman)
• Free in both cases
• Switch via hotkey

Hardware

• Dvorak labels available on premium keyboards
• Workman labels rare — custom keycaps needed
• Touch typing: labels don't matter anyway

Practice tools

• Typing Hero App: both supported
• Monkeytype: both supported
• Keybr: both supported

Real-world reports

Dvorak users say

• "Comfortable, less wrist strain"
• "Took 3 months to feel native"
• "5-10% faster than my old QWERTY"
• "Compatibility issues annoying"

Workman users say

• "Middle fingers feel right for me"
• "Less index strain than Dvorak"
• "Took 2-3 months to feel native"
• "Wish more community/tools existed"

Honest assessment

No clear winner. Personal preference + hand anatomy decides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Faster: Dvorak or Workman?

Roughly equal at peak. Personal preference matters more.

Easier to learn: which?

Comparable difficulty. Both major adjustments from QWERTY.

Better for programming?

Neither has specific programming advantage. Most coders stay QWERTY.

Best community support?

Dvorak — decades of resources. Workman smaller but active.

Should I try both?

If experimenting: try Dvorak first (more established). Add Workman only if curious.

Will I keep QWERTY ability?

If used regularly: yes. If neglected: degrades.

Try if curious

For most users: stay QWERTY or try Colemak. Dvorak and Workman are for dedicated experimenters. Typing Hero App supports all three.

For more: Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, Workman keyboard explained, Colemak vs Workman.