Arrow Key Configurations on Laptop Keyboards: Performance and User Preference of the Inverted-T and Modified-T Layout

摘要

Over the years, many configurations of the navigation arrow keys have been developed andimplemented. As laptops have become smaller, keyboard sizes have followed suit. Consequently,arrow key configurations have been looked at to help free up real estate on the keyboard. Themost common configuration currently is the inverted-T; however, the modified-T is beinginvestigated as a possible solution to provide more space on laptop keyboards. This study soughtto understand how the inverted-T and the modified-T compare in terms of performance and userpreference. Performance was defined by accuracy and speed of use on a series of tasks, whereaccuracy was measured by number of errors and speed was measured by task completion time.User preference was evaluated using the System Usability Scale. Results showed that userperformance and preference did not differ significantly between the two keyboard designs. Thishas practical implications for laptop keyboard design.