Comments on post “Typing Speed Test”
Filip Jaskólski
@filipjaskolski · Developer, LiveChat
Hi there!
Just wanted to drop a few lines about this little project. It turns out that typing speed matters within the customer service industry. We've noticed a pretty tight correlation between customer satisfaction and response times when using live chat.
When digging a bit deeper, we learned that typing skills are one of the key factors that come up during interviews for customer service positions. We wanted to learn more about typing habits and provide a tool which will help to improve them. That's how we ended up with this fun side project.
Enjoy and let us know your scores!
17sharetweet・
Ross Currie
@rossdcurrie · Founder, CrowdLoot
@filipjaskolski Been a while since I've had to type fast! After a few tries I seem to be capping at 108wpm with 98-99% accuracy (Microsoft Basics Black keyboard). I seem to recall I used to be up around the 120-130 range.
Definitely trips you up a bit if you type a wrong letter, as it can be tricky to get back on with the word list... the American spellings of things got me a couple times too. Guess there's something interesting there around the way my brain translates the word into my head, bfeore I type it.
2sharetweet・
Margaret Hutchins
@margaret_hutchins
@filipjaskolski I really like it! @rossdcurrie I am around 60 wpm, but I would like to know if you have any tips for getting my speed even higher? Or is it just talent? 😃
1sharetweet・
Ross Currie
@rossdcurrie · Founder, CrowdLoot
@margaret_hutchins Not sure I have any real advice to offer sorry, other than "learn to touch type and then adapt it to your own style".
Honestly, 108wpm was me typing like my life depended on it, and the main thing was reading ahead of what you're actually typing. I could hit it consistently, but my hands were already sore after a minute - I used to get really bad RSI. I ran through a couple times at my more normal speed and I was sitting around 80wpm.
I think keyboard comes into play as well. Most notebooks these days have those Mac-style chiclet keyboards that I absolutely hate. The MS Basic one has a reasonably nice feel, considering it's literally a budget OEM Microsoft keyboard, but I really want to get one of the Matias Tactile Pro keyboards
2sharetweet・
Filip Jaskólski
@filipjaskolski · Developer, LiveChat
@rossdcurrie That's impressive! ⚡It's almost 3 times faster than the standardised average (which is 40-41wpm).
As for the input mechanism: I agree, it may be disrupting sometimes. I spent quite some time figuring out the best layout for the test.
First of all, there are lot of these on the Internet and I wanted to create something different 😉. Secondly, whole thing should be about typing, with reading time reduced to a minimum. Those are the main two reasons why the prompt line and the input field are aligned into one row.
After couple of experiments, this approach worked pretty well – you could keep your eyes only at one point and focus on typing. Kind of the same mechanism as used for Spritz (http://spritzinc.com/ – if you hadn't yet, check it out, it's awesome).
It backfired in disruptive correction flow, so I decided to keep things simple and limit user to correct only one, currently editing word (the spacebar/enter is the headsman).
So the one-row layout and centered input field are there to reduce reading time and allow the user to focus entirely on typing 😎. As well as big, serif font (it's usually easier for our eyes to distinguish serif typefaces).
Also good point on the spellings. Noted to bring some new sets of words to the table!
1sharetweet・
Margaret Hutchins
@margaret_hutchins
@rossdcurrie Thanks for the tips! 😃
upvotesharetweet・
Muhammad Nasrullah
@nash · VP Engg Convo, Founder Frequel & Pring
@margaret_hutchins you know how they say "practice makes perfect"? Well, if it were true, we would be typing faster and faster everyday because we type everyday! The key to improving typing, sports, memory is to challenge yourself to the next level. So, in this case, if you're at 60 WPM, use a typing tutor and set the speed at 70WPM, once you conquer that, do 80WPM and so on.
2sharetweet・
Margaret Hutchins
@margaret_hutchins
@nash oohh that is a good idea, thanks!
1sharetweet・
Paresh Patel
@abhisihelp · Co-Founder, Abhisi Help Desk
@filipjaskolski Good way to test your typing skills.
1sharetweet・