The Dvorak keyboard layout was designed in the 1930s by Dr August Dvorak, a distant cousin of the Czech composer Dvorak. There are a number of variants on it, generally referred to as the Simplified Keyboard, including layouts designed for languages other than English.

In theory, the Dvorak keyboard layout should be superior because of the simplified and more logical design of the layout. In particular, 70% of strokes are made with the Home Keys, compared to 32% for the QWERTY layout.

Published research indicates that the Dvorak layout is probably superior for traditional typing, as distinct from computer keyboards, in terms of learning time, typing speed, accuracy and travel distances.

However, there is conflicting data and opinion as to the quantum of the benefits. Vested interests of typewriter designers and instructors have probably confused the conclusions (Cassingham, 1995; Navy Department, 1944; West, 1983).

In our assessment, the advantages may be valid but have not been demonstrated to be worthwhile compared to the:

• Retraining time, expected to be 20-40 hours for expert typists using typing tutor software.
• Potential difficulty of switching frequently between the two layouts in many business and education environments that would have a mixture of the two layouts.

We are not aware of any research comparing the two layouts relative to computer keyboards, as as distinct from typewriters, and we would gratefully accept any relevant data.

However, for better or worse QWERTY is the industry standard and we do not have the resources to swim against the tide. Good luck to those who do! There have been very few enquiries regarding including instruction for the Dvorak layout in eText typeSmart over recent years, and thus there is not sufficient interest to justify the investment and possible confusion it could cause in workplaces.

Our eText Method reduces the gap — real or imagined — of the Dvorak over the QWERTY keyboard by avoiding the root cause of the problem relative to computers, namely the Home Keys Technique. Dvorak studied only the layout of the keyboard and neglected to challenge the method of learning to use it, as we have done.

References

Cassingham, R. C. (1995) The Dvorak Keyboard. Freelance Communications, California.

Navy Department (1944) A Comparison of Typist Improvement from Training on the Standard Keyboard and Retraining on the Simplified Keyboard. Navy Department. Training Section.

West, Leonard J. (1983) Acquisition of Typewriting Skills, Methods and Research in Teaching Typewriting and Word Processing. 2nd Edition: Bobbs-Merrill educational Publishing, Indianapolis (out of print).