Workman — The Forgotten Ergonomic Keyboard Layout

Most people know QWERTY, Dvorak, and Colemak. Few know about Workman — released 2010 by OJ Bucao. It's a Dvorak-philosophy layout with middle-finger emphasis instead of index. Niche but loved by its small dedicated community.

What is Workman?

• Alternative keyboard layout released 2010
• By OJ Bucao (Filipino-American developer)
• Ergonomic philosophy like Dvorak
• Different finger distribution than Colemak/Dvorak

Workman's design philosophy

Middle finger emphasis

• Dvorak/Colemak: emphasize index fingers
• Workman: emphasizes middle fingers
• Bucao argued: middle fingers naturally stronger and more precise

Reduce finger stretching

• Less reach for upper/lower rows
• Less lateral movement
• More comfortable for some hand sizes

Home row prioritization

• Common English letters on home row
• A E I O T N S H R D core letters
• Less keyboard travel than QWERTY

Workman home row

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

Compare to:

• QWERTY home: a s d f g — h j k l ;
• Dvorak home: a o e u i — d h t n s
• Colemak home: a r s t d — h n e i o

Workman shares some positions with Dvorak/Colemak but differs in placement.

Pros

Middle finger ergonomics

• Naturally strong finger
• Less strain for some users
• Subjective preference for some

English-optimized

• ~50%+ typing on home row
• Better than QWERTY measurably
• Comparable to Dvorak/Colemak

Small but passionate community

• Forums active
• Software support good
• Open-source philosophy

Cons

Adoption tiny

• Tens of thousands of users vs millions for QWERTY
• <<<1% market share
• Compatibility issues common

Limited keyboard support

• Software layout universal (OS-level)
• Physical keyboards rare with Workman labels
• Custom keycaps required for visible labels

Learning curve significant

• 2-6 months to match previous speed
• Same as Dvorak/Colemak
• No advantage over them in this regard

Disputed advantages

• Subjective ergonomic claims
• No clear measurable benefit over Colemak
• Most who try return to Colemak

Workman vs alternatives

vs QWERTY

• 5-15% speed gain possible (similar to Dvorak/Colemak)
• Better ergonomics (similar claims)
• Major switching cost

vs Dvorak

• Workman: middle finger emphasis
• Dvorak: index finger emphasis
• Roughly equivalent end speeds

vs Colemak

• Workman: more aggressive changes from QWERTY
• Colemak: only 17 keys move from QWERTY
• Colemak more popular due to easier transition
• See Colemak vs Workman

Who should consider Workman

Yes, consider if

• Experimenting with alternatives
• Middle fingers feel stronger subjectively
• Already considering Dvorak/Colemak
• 6+ weeks adaptation time available

Skip Workman if

• Want best community support (use Colemak)
• Want most-tested alternative (use Dvorak)
• Already happy with QWERTY
• Casual typist

Setup

Software layouts

• Linux: built-in
• Windows: requires installer
• macOS: requires installer
• Free in all cases

Hardware

• Use any keyboard with software layout
• Optional: custom keycaps with Workman labels

Practice tools

• Typing Hero App: supports Workman
• Monkeytype: select Workman in settings
• keybr.com: Workman option

Learning timeline

Week 1-2

• 20-30% of previous speed
• Painful adjustment
• High frustration

Week 3-4

• 40-50% recovery
• Patterns forming
• Hand position natural

Week 5-8

• Matching old QWERTY speed
• Comfortable
• Beginning to feel benefits

Month 2-3

• 5-15% faster than old QWERTY
• Workman feels native
• Hard to go back

Same as Dvorak/Colemak in difficulty.

Real-world experience

Common reports

• "Comfortable, but I didn't notice big speed gain"
• "Middle fingers do feel stronger here"
• "Switched from Colemak, slight preference"
• "Eventually returned to Colemak — better community"

Honest verdict

• Genuinely ergonomic option
• Not dramatically better than Colemak
• Try if curious but expect similar results

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Workman so unknown?

Released 2010 after QWERTY/Dvorak/Colemak already established. Tiny adoption.

Faster than Colemak?

Claims similar speed gains. Subjective preference for middle fingers.

Worth learning?

Only if curious about alternatives. Colemak more practical.

Best learning resources?

GitHub workmanship.org, r/Workman subreddit, Typing Hero App.

Will I lose QWERTY?

If you use Workman exclusively: yes, gradually.

Best for programming?

No specific programming advantage. QWERTY remains practical for coding tutorials.

Try Workman if curious

If alternative layouts interest you: Typing Hero App supports Workman. Otherwise Colemak is more practical.

For more: Colemak vs Workman, Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, Should you switch from QWERTY.