#51 white and yellow

The printed phone book used to be a household staple.  Special furniture existed to hold the phone on the top, then a slot for the phone book underneath.  Phone books were indispensable items, with the new versions being highly coveted.

Not so today!  I don't think I have used a phone book in the past year and would be hard pressed to even find one in our office. 

In my opinion, three things have happened that is causing their demise:
1) the Internet, of course -- no longer does the phone book have a monopoly on phone number access
2) thanks to cell phones and faxes, the phone book is no longer complete.  It used to be that just about every number was listed there; now many numbers that people are seeking are not captured in print
3) the demographics of those that would actually (continue) using the phone books are those who grew up with them -- the older generation.  Cost cutting measures compel the phone companies to use smaller and smaller type, yet precisely the ones who would use the books have the worst eyesight. 

Those who would use it can't read it; those who can read it don't use it.  Are you guilty of the same in your organization -- producing things for an audience without regard to their needs and desires?  

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
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