This is very perfectionist. Let me install my doors the way it's comfortable or pleasing. Where I see a knob I'll reach. And where I see a "pull" sign I pull, or get contex clues.

There is research for everything, let's say it's more comfortable to push and the knob is on the right side for me. I could spend way more time and effort than thia desrves to apeal to that study, "I have great UX", I'd tell myself. But then I'd show this product on some eastern market where they read in "reverse" and it'll not be comfortable nor "100% natural" for them. Meaning, I'd fail, my UX'd be horrible for half the planet.

This might be worth for universal things, that are already researched and you don't need to spend years and a kidney to figure out. Like maybe how are "next", "cancel" and "back" buttons are next to each other. But I mean.. just copy the most recent you used.

there's a difference between trying to open a door from the hinged side, vs designing a door that has 14 different deadbolts, and three latches on it.

One of those is user error, the other is designed complexity generally being a hindrance to the user.

Maybe you need better signage. Maybe you need to reverse the direction of the door. Maybe you could automate the door. Or maybe the user is just fucking stupid. 😄

"Wrong way" for whom?

In Software Development it ultimatelly boils down to "are making software for the end users or are you making it for yourself?"

Because in your example, that's what ultimatelly defines whose "wrong" the developer is supposed to guide him/herself by.

(So yeah, making software for fun or you own personal use is going to follow quite different requirement criteria than making software for use by other people).