Frequently Asked Questions
Will learning a new layout make me faster?
Section titled “Will learning a new layout make me faster?”Probably not. Generally, people learn alt layouts to increase comfort, not speed. Some people do report achieving faster speeds in their new layout, but no systematic effort have been made to evaluate how much of this is due to efficiencies in the layout itself versus the effects of intentional practice, building muscle memory, and increasing finger dexterity.
The fastest QWERTY users are significantly faster than the fastest alt layout users. On Monkeytype, a popular online typing game, there are thirteen QWERTY users that type faster than the alt layout world record. However, if you watch videos of these extremely fast typists, you will notice that the alt layout users’ hands move a lot less, while the QWERTY users’ hands are always jumping around.
Given that the population of QWERTY users is much larger than the population of alt layout users, it is expected that most exceptionally fast typists are likely to use QWERTY. But that does not tell us if QWERTY is better, worse, or about the same compared to alt layouts when it comes to typing speed.
How long does it take to learn a new layout?
Section titled “How long does it take to learn a new layout?”Learning a new layout is an investment. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to get back up to your old speed.
Will I have trouble using other people’s computers?
Section titled “Will I have trouble using other people’s computers?”A minority of people lose the ability to touch type QWERTY after using an alt layout for long enough. However, if you previously practiced touch typing, or if you continue to practice typing on QWERTY, it is not easy to fully forget.
If you frequently need to use other people’s computers, or if you type on a physical keyboard only once in a whlie, learning an alt layout is probably not right for you.
Is there scientific research that alt keyboard layouts are better?
Section titled “Is there scientific research that alt keyboard layouts are better?”Very little academic research has been done on alt keyboard layouts, and of the studies that exist, all of them focus on comparing QWERTY and Dvorak, finding little to no advantage for Dvorak. For example:
- West’s 1994 controlled experiment with experienced typists found Dvorak users typed 4% faster than on QWERTY, a statistically significant but practically modest improvement.
- The landmark 1956 Strong study for the U.S. General Services Administration found no meaningful advantage after 100 hours of Dvorak training, with participants merely matching their previous QWERTY speeds.
- Norman and Fisher’s influential 1982 analysis concluded that “no alternative has shown a realistically significant advantage over QWERTY for general purpose typing.”
Furthermore, of the few studies that have been conducted, most suffer from tiny sample sizes (typically 8-20 participants), short measurement periods, and the confounding effect of participants’ prior QWERTY experience. The notorious 1944 Navy study claiming 75% speed improvements with Dvorak was conducted by August Dvorak himself and lacks basic experimental controls.
Alt layouts from the 21st century exist in a near-complete research vacuum. There are no peer-reviewed performance studies, large-scale randomized trials, or longitudinal studies evaluating any alt layouts newer than Dvorak. Perhaps this is because there is no money to be made in selling keyboard layouts; after all, plenty of studies examine the efficacy of ergonomic keyboards and mice, which are much more profitable.
The similarity in metrics used by different independent keyboard layout optimization projects—some of which do not seem to be aware of any others—suggests that there must be a biomechanical foundation underlying our shared intuition about what makes a keyboard layout “good.” However, it is an open question whether any of the improvements proposed by the community translate to measurable productivity or health benefits over a long period of time, as measured by academic research.
Why bother?
Section titled “Why bother?”If learning a new layout doesn’t make you faster, and it has not been demonstrated in peer-reviewed studies to be better for your health, why bother at all?
- It feels good! Typing on a layout that feels right to you isn’t quantifiable in scientific terms. You don’t need a peer-reviewed study to tell you that you like the sound of a good pair of headphones. Nor do you pick your mattress based on its demonstrated ability to treat musculoskeletal disorders. Similarly, the choice of keyboard layout is a personal choice that you don’t necessarily need to justify on scientific grounds.
- It’s fun! A lot of people find it rewarding to learn a new layout, and some even go as far as to try a new one every few months. Who knows? You might be one of those people.
- Anecdotal evidence: While anecdotal evidence should always be taken with skepticism (in this case, mainly due to selection bias), many alt layout users have reported improvements in RSI symptoms after learning a new layout.