KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard

David Stephensen
Quarrion Documentation and Training
Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

Website http://www.qdt.com.au
KeyRight is a trade mark of PsychoLOGIC Technologies.
Patents for the KeyRight keyboard are pending.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
© David Stephensen 1998
KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 1

Abstract
The computer keyboard is a vital input device, yet, in its present form has a flawed design.
It is overwhelming due to its large number of visually similar keys, which are insufficiently
distinguishable and insufficiently able to be grouped for memorising. The traditional
method of learning correct fingering (and, ultimately, touch typing) is unnecessarily
difficult. It is not suitable for experienced keyboard users who have learned in an ad hoc
fashion.
The mouse has been a partial solution to difficulties with the keyboard. Unfortunately,
overuse of the mouse causes a drop in productivity.
The keyboard needs rehabilitation as an input device, so that
• Users can more easily gain the motor skills for efficient data entry and
• It is not perceptually overwhelming and therefore of limited use as an input device.
A set of colours for the keys, one for each finger, enable users to group the keys for
memorising and provide an alternative facility for learning correct fingering. The rainbow
colours, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet form a universally familiar
colour pattern. The colours are interrelated, form a complete set and are seven in number.
These properties make them ideal as an aid to memory and understanding.
The KeyRight keyboard is a successful implementation of this concept, introducing
significant enhancements to the computer keyboard as an input device.
Software can further encourage users to use the keyboard if it colours keystroke prompts to
match a coloured keyboard. Displaying equivalent keystrokes during and after a mouse
operation is an alternative method of teaching users about access keys and shortcut keys.
There are strong psychological arguments for use of this method.
KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 2

Some problems with input devices

By any psychological standards of user interface, the keyboard in its present form has
significant deficiencies. The mouse has made a big difference for beginning computer
users, but has limitations and ultimately reduces productivity.

If the keyboard were a new product, would you buy one?

Imagine that I want to sell you a new input device that I have invented. I tell you that it
will be fundamental to your computer use. To use it properly, you must memorise the
position, by touch, of 100 keys, so that you can use the device without looking. Moreover,
during your sessions of learning to use this device, you must not look at it. The keys are
each marked with a different symbol, spatially grouped to some extent, but otherwise
identical and placed close together in rows.
Are you impressed?

Try the latest input device– the Keyboard

• 103 keys, each clearly marked with a symbol

• Has a major group of 58 keys
• Keys are best used with certain fingers
• Best learnt and used without looking
• Often shows feedback on the computer screen
• Great for people who know what they are doing
• Uses the historic QWERTY legend, in keeping with international convention

Buy one today and increase your productivity!

KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 3

The keyboard as a flawed user interface

Today's keyboard has an unfortunate history. Rather that compensating for this, the
keyboard breaks basic rules for effective human visual perception, organisation and recall.

The QWERTY heritage

In this paper we are not going to complain about the QWERTY keyboard legend, which is
most likely here to stay. For those who don't know its history, the QWERTY legend was
designed to slow down typing. Early typewriters jammed if you typed too quickly.
Everyone agrees that this is a disaster and also that it would be difficult to change.

Other design flaws

The other keyboard design faults centre around its 'complex blandness'.

The keyboard is visually bland and the keys are only partly grouped
Any elementary psychology text will tell you that, in general, humans can only remember
or communicate about seven things at a time. Miller (1956) found that we can remember
about seven things ('chunks') at a time, but that, once we are very familiar with the
components of an entity, we start treating the entity as one 'chunk' (e.g., a group of letters
becomes a word). Take a look at a keyboard. Apart from the symbols, the keys look
identical. The largest spatial group of keys has 58 keys undistinguished except for their
symbol. The standard keyboard provides us with no visual basis on which we can start
forming 'chunks'.

There are no aids for searching or remembering

Undiversified masses of stimuli often at least have signposts or mnemonic aids to help you
navigate. Keyboards have nothing that directs you in your search for a key or helps you
remember a key's position.

Result of design flaws

The keyboard design flaws make it hard to initially learn and hard to develop further
abilities.

Overwhelm for beginners

To a new user, 100 similar keys mostly with few signposts can only be described as
overwhelming.

Functional fixedness preventing further skill development

Functional fixedness is the "inability to perceive better ways of performing tasks and to
realise that objects have functions other than the familiar ones" (Whitcroft 1998a).
The blandness of the keyboard discourages the exploration that is an antidote to functional
fixedness.
Whitcroft found an experienced touch typist who had not noticed the right-hand SHIFT key,
and another who had not noticed the INSERT DELETE HOME END PAGE UP PAGE DOWN
keypad. He also tells an anecdote about a sports car with unmarked gearstick. The owner
was dismayed to learn that the car had a fifth gear. (Whitcroft 1998b).
KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 4

Why is the keyboard design so visually bland?

Why does the keyboard break these psychological rules? An important reason is the die-
hard industry convention that you aren't meant to look at it.

Aspiring to touch type

Learning or failing to learn to touch type, or even to use correct fingering, is currently a
major boredom, challenge or regret. It involves hard work.

Do people type without looking at the keyboard?

How many extra keys has the keyboard acquired since typewriters? There are about fifty.
Who looks at it? Everyone does. Whitcroft (1995) examined the keyboard use of a large
number of users and gave up looking for people who did not look at the keyboard.

Learning correct keying the hard way

Learning correct keying by memorising the position of keys without looking at them is a
time-honoured tradition. Is it effective? Many people do, of course, master this.
For those that learn to type rapidly without using the correct fingers, however, the path to
touch typing is very difficult.
Beginning typists do not naturally use the correct fingers. an instructor must direct them
to do it. Learning correct keying and then to touch type is rather an ordeal for anyone.
Many do not succeed.

The mouse– has it become a drag?

It is no wonder that the mouse was invented to help avoid using the keyboard. This has
been successful to a great extent. More people can certainly learn to use computers more
easily. The mouse, unfortunately, lowers productivity for people after they have learnt
what to do. Most software provides keyboard alternatives where possible. If you aren't
motivated to use the keyboard, what use is that?
KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 5

Colour coding for the user interface

Colour coding to help people perform tasks and use software and equipment is not a new
idea. Patterns are also very useful for organising, learning and remembering. Colour and
pattern can make a powerful user interface combination if the combination is meaningful.
The most universally known colour pattern is the spectral sequence (rainbow colours).

WordPerfect 5.1: a little colour went a long way

Do you remember WordPerfect 5.1, one of the most popular word processors in history? An
important element in its popularity was its function key system. Touch typists could
feasibly extend their abilities to the 45 function keystrokes and control the entire package
without touching a mouse. In the author's opinion, the small amount of colour coding was
an important factor in the system's popularity. What WordPerfect 5.1 user can forget
green for SHIFT, blue for ALT and red for CTRL? This colour system only went a short way,
yet demonstrated how powerful colour can be at demystifying the keyboard.

Ctrl
Alt
Shift
The KeyRight keyboard
There have been several attempts at colour coding the keyboard (Olsen 1970, Ladner and
Williams 1990, Troudet 1994, kidBoard Inc. 1996). None have used a pattern where the
colours
• Have a familiar sequence and are therefore interrelated,
• Form a familiar complete set.
The KeyRight keyboard uses the familiar spectral colour sequence. This multiplies the
effectiveness of the colours by giving them a pattern.
You can read a full description of the theory and research behind the KeyRight colour
system and keyboard in Whitcroft (1998a).

History
The inventor, Jerome Whitcroft, a student of psychology and fiction author, was seeking to
become keyboard literate. He found the traditional method of learning correct keying did
not suit him. On further investigation, he also found that it went against psychological
research findings. He proceeded to devise a system that would enable him to ultimately
learn to touch type. Following lack of interest by academics and manufacturers in the
results of his work, he has developed the keyboard as a successful user-friendly product.
KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 6

Description
The KeyRight system is very simple, but has been verified with careful research. The keys
belonging to each finger have their own colour. Each key is coloured on the sides, but
remains the standard colour on top to maintain optimum contrast. The tapering shape of
the keys reveals a sufficient area of colour around each key to be clearly seen. Since the
colour is on the sides only of the keys, you can clearly see the colour of each key without
compromising the readability of the key's symbol.
The colours are seven colours of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and
violet) arranged from left to right for the left hand and four fingers of the right hand. This
choice of colours is a universally known sequence. It enables us to make mental
connections between colours and locate them at the ends or middle of the range.
The colour for the little finger on the right hand is pink. You can think of this as
appropriate for the 'pinky' or, if you have a scientific bent, corresponding to the colour of
sunburn. (Sunburn results from too much ultra-violet (UV) radiation. UV comes next
above violet visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum.)

Advantages of the KeyRight keyboard

The advantages of the keyboard include the following
• The seven colour divisions
• Allow you to construct 'chunks' and memorise the keyboard more easily,
• Encourage you to explore the keyboard and discover further features.
• Both beginners and experienced two finger typists can immediately start using the
correct fingers, continuing to look at the keyboard as they type for as long as they need
while memorising it.
• The keyboard provides a constant and permanent reminder of the correct means of use
• Users can experience the ergonomic benefits of correct keyboard use earlier in the
process of learning to use the keyboard.
KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 7

Access and shortcut key markings with colour

The Microsoft Windows user interface provides for access keys for menu options and
dialog box controls. The software underscores a single letter in the name of an option or
control. You can use this letter or number with the ALT key to select the corresponding
option or control.
Software can also provide shortcut keys for operations, which are specified by the
software designers or the users. The best-known shortcut keys are CTRL+X, CRTL+C and
CTRL+V for the Cut, Copy and Paste operations.

Users who are fluent in these keystrokes and use them instead of the mouse will obviously
be more productive. If we can find a better method of educating users about keystrokes,
we can increase productivity.

Enhancements to the current access key and shortcut key education methods
Traditionally, software communicates access keys or shortcut keys to users in two ways
• Software underscores the letters and numbers in menus and dialog boxes to show
access keys. This assumes that the user knows to use the ALT key with them. They are
often difficult to see, especially with the minuscule fonts that appear to be standard
since Windows 95. We can improve visibility by adding key colour as shown in the
illustration below.
• Software shows shortcut keys at the right of menu options. We can improve the current
display of these by adding colour. They are of limited benefit in their present form,
however. Before you see them, you will have already started a mouse operation and
will be unlikely to abandon that and use the keystroke instead. The display is passive,
and sometimes not noticed. If you want to find out the keystroke in order to use it, you
must view the menu in order to find out the keystroke. This is a separate and
unproductive operation, and requires additional motivation before you will perform it.
Here is an illustration of the Microsoft Word Edit menu with KeyRight colours. Notice that
you can further encourage good keyboard practice by showing the recommended CTRL key
for the letter key concerned.
KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 8

Access and shortcut key popup prompts during after a mouse operation
This paper suggests a third method of communicating keystrokes to users as they work.
• After you perform a mouse operation, display the shortcut key (or access key if there is
no shortcut key) in an 'instant tip' window, which will appear briefly after the
operation. This has the following advantages.
• The keystroke display is an active display, which gets the user's attention.
• The display informs the user in context, when the experience of the operation is
fresh in the user's mind. This must happen after the event, of course, because the
computer cannot predict which operation will be performed.
• The display is an irritant. Some users will go out of their way to avoid 'being told'
and this can motivate them to use the keyboard. The irritation, of course, is self-
inflicted. Users would be able to switch off this system altogether if desired.
The illustrations below show a mockup of the proposed system.

1 Word Processor window 2 Select Paste using mouse

3 Keystroke popup appears 4 After operation, keystroke popup lingers

KeyRight: Colour Coding the Computer Keyboard 9

Conclusion
Much can be done to improve learning and productivity by applying colour in the user
interface. In particular, the keyboard has design problems and the mouse provides ease of
use at great cost to productivity. The KeyRight keyboard and the provision of matching
coloured keystroke prompts will make the keyboard more useable, promoting faster data
entry and software operation.

References
kidBoard, Inc. (1996). Introducing kidboard: The computer keyboard that features award-
winning software your kids will love! Promotional leaflet. Edina, Minnesota: kidBoard, Inc.
Ladner, E. A. and Williams, C. P. (1990) Interactive typing/training system. U.S. Patent No
4909739.
Miller, G. A. (1956) The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our
capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63, 81–97.
Olsen, (1970). Method and device for teaching typing and language skills. U.S. Patent
3501849.
Troudet, F. (1994). Adaptive system for touch-typing/training. International Publication
Number (Patent): WO 94/01851.
Whitcroft, J., (1995) [Use of data-entry devices: Keyboards]. Unpublished raw data.
Details are available from the author. Request it by e-mail to [email protected]
Whitcroft, J., (1998a) Colour coding the computer keyboard. Unpublished paper available
from the author. Request it by e-mail to [email protected]
Whitcroft, J., (1998b) personal communication with the author.