Design Analysis

KT Decision Matrix

The KT Decision Matrix allows us to determine what aspects of the product are most important when designing, and weigh how much certain design changes are catering to those aspects. The main design change being weighed in here is the keyboard layout, with the alternatives being Ortholinear, Standard, and Curved layouts. Ortholinear lines up the rows so you don't have to move your fingers and wrists sideways to reach different keys. Standard keyboards are what most people use. A curved layout is similar to a standard, however the keys are curved to match the natural angle of your wrists. The curved layout is the least adaptable and typically has less features than a standard keyboard, as most of the actual keys are custom shapes and it takes up more space for the same amount of keys.

KT Evaluation Matrix

The KT Evaluation Matrix is used to determine the biggest modes of failure and misuse associated with a design. To properly calculate the "Threat" associated with each part, I broke down how they could potentially fail. The actual electronics of a keyboard won't fail often, however the user may spill or knock things over into the keyboard, since it sits on a desk. This can cause issues in just about any keyboard. Additionally, the logic board could have a fault, which can be fixed by plugging it in and re-uploading the software. The last mode of failure would be broken or shorted leads. This can happen with spills, manufacturing mistakes, or potentially dropping it in transit.

The switches are the second thing that break in a keyboard. Since they are made of small plastic pieces, they have the potential to break if dropped or mishandled. Related issues would be debris falling in between keys, or keycaps coming off. These are both small issues, as the keycaps can be placed back on easily, and debris can be shaken out of the board. The last mechanism that can fail is the PC connection. This is the least likely, however if the USB Port breaks or stops working, the keyboard can no longer be used. Cables are almost a non-issue as they can be had just about anywhere and likely won't be moved much.

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