As we learn to read, we typically start with letters, then begin to recognize chunks of syllables, and finally words. Unfortunately, we rarely get beyond the letter-by-letter level of sophistication when typing. The average words per minute has been estimated at around or below 50 words per minute although proficient typists can muster more than twice that for a sustained period. Putting aside the arguments about QWERTY alternatives (such as the Dvorak layout), why don’t we use more efficient input devices?
Stenographs, used by court reporters to create transcripts of cases, came on the scene in the late 19th Century. Rather than enter every letter of each word, stenographers enter words phonetically by pressing multiple keys at once, an input method called chording (or stroking in their parlance). The entered text must then be converted back to English, which is typically done by software now. A baseline speed stenographer can capture about 200 “words” per minute and can go as high as 300 words per minute, easily fast enough to keep up with speech.
