Typing Speed,Keying Rates,and Optimal Keyboard Layouts

Abstract

Many variations on the standard typewriter keyboard have been proposed to save finger motion and speed up input. An analysis of keying times during touch typing showed that the standard layout is operated at near-maximum speeds. These times applied to the Dvorak layout showed that it would be no faster than the standard layout, and an imaginary “optimal” layout using higher percentages of fast keystrokes would be only 8% faster. Larger keying speed increases are possible through eliminating keystrokes than through rearranging the current layout.