| Too many times we find ourselves stumbling | | | | button multiple times. |
| through a program. The program requires | | | | As a result the program does not get in the way |
| information entered in a certain order even if | | | | of the sale. Errors are reduced since the sales |
| some of the fields are prefilled with default data. | | | | code is entered correctly. Customers are serviced |
| This forces the user to stop at unnecessary | | | | more quickly. The program's requirements for |
| fields. As a result the user spends unproductive | | | | entering a sale have been meet. |
| time navigating through the program and not | | | | On an overlay keyboard each key can be |
| getting the ultimate job done. | | | | assigned any sequence of key that can be |
| One example of this is a point-of-sales program I | | | | pressed on a standard keyboard. In the example |
| personally wrote. The user enters an items | | | | above item keys contain a one to ten character |
| product code and hits enter. In the next field they | | | | sales code followed by three enter keys. Other |
| enter the number they want to sell. This field | | | | keys on the keyboard are assigned to reproduce |
| defaults to one so they usually hit enter again. | | | | control function keys the program response to |
| Their next choice is where they can edit the | | | | such as committing the sale. |
| previous fields, commit the item for sale or cancel | | | | Each user of my program can configure the |
| the item all together. | | | | overlay keyboard to his needs. Some group items |
| To simplify this procedure I introduced an overlay | | | | by the size others by manufacturer. The ability to |
| keyboard to the process. Each key on the | | | | create a graphic overlay for the keyboards |
| keyboard contains the sales code of the most | | | | means that they can color code keys themselves |
| popular item and three enters. The user then | | | | along with their background color. Blue keys can |
| presses the key corresponding to the item being | | | | represent on size while green keys a different |
| sold and the item is entered for sale. If more then | | | | size. |
| one of an item is sold they simply press the | | | | |