Auto-Correct / How to Correct
The problem with Auto-correct and my suggestion of fixing it.
As you already may know, Auto-Correct is the automatic function that corrects your spelling mistakes while you use the mobile keyboard, or in some cases, makes you write a horrible massage to your friends, parents or boss.
It is widely know by now that Auto-Correct often makes mistakes. In fact, there are many websites that are dedicated to Auto-Correct failures, showing thousands of conversations that have gone completely wrong.
Ever found yourself wondering why we have Auto-Correct in the first place, and in every device no less? The answer to that question is simple: moving from personal computers to mobiles devices means smaller screens, which means a smaller keyboard, which means well… smaller fingers — which we don’t have. Instead, the device compensates that by guessing which word we’re about to type and choose it for us.
First Things First
I started my research by asking both Android and IOS user what they think about Auto-Correct, and the answers was very similar: Android users said that Auto-Correct didn’t give them a sense of control, you never really knows when it replace words and after you finished typing it was already too late to undo the action. When I asked IOS users, they didn't understand why I don’t just turn it off (IOS, unlike Android, has built in spell check as a substitute).
At this point I had to ask myself if it worth fixing. Is Auto-Correct really helpful? I came across an experiment made by Matthew J.X. Malady that he made in 2014. Matthew decided to check how it feels like to live without Auto-Correct for a week, and for that he gathered ten people (half IOS and half Android users) and together they turned off their Auto-Correct. The results were that most of the people felt frustrated (eight out of ten) and wished to restore the Auto-Correct already after the first day or two.
Breaking Down the Problem
Auto-Correct is still a relevant component, but people will still find it hard to live with. With this being said, now it’s time to define the problems before I get to work.
I divided the problems into four main issues:
1. Knowledge
The user doesn't know if the word he typed has changed unless he is completely focused on it.
2. Control
The undo option after a word has been corrected does not last after the user continues writing, therefore editing the word later on becomes more difficult.
3. Alternative
In case the user prefers not use Auto-Correct he doesn't always have an alternative (most Android users).
4. Typing
The ultimate problem — the keyboard, is a problem by itself.
Designing the Solution
1. Letting the user know
The reason we don’t notice the words changing is that our focus is somewhere else. while some people do take notice at the suggestion bar above the keyboard, most people, including myself, don’t look beyond of the keyboard while typing. For instance, people tend to focus on the on coming up letter rather than the letters they have already typed.
In any case, the change happens outside our focus. What is needed here is something that will “wake” our attention to the correction that has been made, and for that I used motion.
I decided to make two motions, first at the suggestion bar when a word changes, the second above the corrected word.
2. Make it reversible
In order to give the user the option to cancel a correction, I decided to mark the word with a blue dot (like an asterisk) so the user can tell what word has been modified. Additionally I made the word clickable, and when clicked the suggestions bar fills with different suggestions to choose from. The suggestion on the left shows the original word therefore functioning as a cancel button.
3. Knowing it’s not for everyone
In every design process, it is important to remember that it is not made for everyone. In order to give users an alternative I decided to keep the same conceptual model while Auto-Correct is disabled.
4. Thoughts about the keyboard
The keyboard is a tricky thing. My first though about improving the keyboard was changing the order and position of the keys so there is larger area for each letter and as a result less chance pressing the wrong key. But my research taught me that although it might be an improvement, It will be difficult for the users to adapt.
For example, in 1928, about 50 years after the QWERTY keyboard were used in typing machine, a man name August Dvorak found a way to type faster. He rearrange the order of the letter in the keyboard in a way that makes more sense type wise (what known as the Dvorak Keyboard), but unfortunately the people that used to the QWERTY keyboard for 50 years didn't give it a chance — it was too much effort to learn.
What I can suggest does not include changes to the existing arrangement of the keyboard, but changes the layout to reduce mistakes in certain situations.
My idea is not innovative, in fact it’s been used for several years by now, but in my opinion it is more accessible than the way it is found on most keyboards.
My suggestions include two things: the first is a “one hand typing” keyboard, because the chances of making a typo while writing one handed are much higher. The second is the option to change the keyboard’s height so that people with different hand size can type more easily.
Final Thoughts
Auto-Correct exists since the first smart phone and although it’s annoying at it current state, we learnt to live with it and accepted the fact that sometime we’ll just have to make mistakes.
The ability to adapt so quickly is one of our greatest strengths, but sometimes it prevents us from overlook the everyday things.
I would love to hear your opinion about the way I solved it and if you have a different suggestion please feel free to share :) applause and sharing the article would be very much appreciated and maybe even get people to overlook this feature in next devices to come.
Thank you for reading ,
Nir
nirbdp@gmail.com
