Too Much of a Good Thing is Just About Right: Using Penalty Analysis to Evaluate the Impact of Key Travel on Notebook Keyboard User Experience

Abstract

Penalty analysis (PA) is a common sensory data analysis method used to develop and improve consumer products. This technique identifies the factors that lead to the greatest reduction in product satisfaction with the largest agreement among participants. Here, we apply PA to a usability study with 51 representative users comparing two different notebook computers with different key travel (1mm vs. 1.5mm). Participants completed a typing task followed by a usability survey. While traditional t-tests revealed limited differences between keyboards, PA identified additional ways to optimize the keyboard by adjusting attributes such as key travel and force. Overall, PA may be a useful complement to usability studies. Recommendations for adapting PA to usability studies will be discussed including advantages and limitations.