User Typing Issues

Here I have a good one for you all.

User is a data entry grunt and keys in data all day. She is having a bunch of weird problems with multiple 2's get entered when she only types 1 two. She tries to enter to the next line and instead goes to the next page. And a bunch of weird little things like this. She can't recall the last time it was working and she cannot recreate the problem, it happens at random times.

She has been moved around to multiple computers and has the same problem at every machine. They have tried multiple keyboards and nothing fixes the problem. It seems to be getting worse so they finally put in a help desk ticket about it.

There have been a couple of IT folk looking at the problem and they just suggest replacing the keyboard again or deleting her account... I have a couple of ideas and thoughts but I'm interesting in yours.

What do you think?

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Comments

Netstudent

maybe it's the static electricity.

Ahriakin

Is she working locally or through a terminal emulation application?
Is it from the same doc./template/application all the time?
Are the other computers fresh or has she had time to customise them with with her favourite layouts/macros/spywareriddenprettyscreensaverthatshejusthastohaveandnottellyouabout?
Does it happen if she logs in as a different user?

Mishra

Ahriakin wrote:

Is she working locally or through a terminal emulation application?
Is it from the same doc./template/application all the time?
Are the other computers fresh or has she had time to customise them with with her favourite layouts/macros/spywareriddenprettyscreensaverthatshejusthastohaveandnottellyouabout?
Does it happen if she logs in as a different user?

Locally
Different applications
Our machines are locked down to only being able to open specific applications and log off
I haven't tried to set her up with a test account and try it from there (thought about it) but I highly doubt that an account is somehow causing keyboard errors. They just don't have any relationship at all.

Netstudent

Does she have a roaming profile?

Mishra

Netstudent wrote:

Does she have a roaming profile?

Nope. No use with the major lock downs we put on computers.

Ahriakin

I think you may just have a case of extreme P.E.B.K.A.C.

seuss_ssues

Ahriakin wrote:

I think you may just have a case of extreme P.E.B.K.A.C.

Funny as i read this thread i was thinking the exact same thing.

Mishra

Ahriakin wrote:

I think you may just have a case of extreme P.E.B.K.A.C.

Thats my guess! I already told the supervisor I think it is a user error.

My only things I can try here are

ps/2 keyboard --> ps/2 usb converter
ps/2 keyboard --> older computer (from my history ps/2 keyboard are a little more forgiving)
and I GUESS I could delete and recreate her account but it seems unnecessary

Plantwiz

Mishra wrote:

Ahriakin wrote:

I think you may just have a case of extreme P.E.B.K.A.C.

Thats my guess! I already told the supervisor I think it is a user error.

My only things I can try here are

ps/2 keyboard --> ps/2 usb converter
ps/2 keyboard --> older computer (from my history ps/2 keyboard are a little more forgiving)
and I GUESS I could delete and recreate her account but it seems unnecessary

Well, but you have stated the user has been at multiple workstations and the problem occurs (which also gives way to her using different keyboards) AND you stated the KB has been swapped. So..

1. is she THAT fast and accurate when she types?
2. Is she possibly assuming a poor typing posture causing her hands to lay on the keys for too long?
3. Does she have LONG finger-nails?
4. Can she create the problem in WordPad? Give a long something to type that represents the type of data she enters, either numbers or words or combo of the two. If the problem is getting worse, it may be poor typing habits. Whereby an ergonic (eeewwww) keyboard may help or even getting rid of the QWERTY placement and have her learn DVORAK style http://www.dvorak-keyboards.com/dvorak-keyboard_com.gif
Now grant it, her supervisor may not be excited about the thought of having an employee be trained to type with a different style keyboard (it takes a little time, but is more efficinet once learned)...but that's what a good manager should do....identify a problem and throw soem training at it to fix it.....OF COURSE that will depend on if the problem is PEBKAC. If not, then you may have a bit more testing to do

KEep us posted.

blargoe

Is it just one particular application that this occurs in?

Mishra

blargoe wrote:

Is it just one particular application that this occurs in?

Different applications but the computers she has problems on other people type just fine on it.

Plantwiz

Mishra wrote:

blargoe wrote:

Is it just one particular application that this occurs in?

Different applications but the computers she has problems on other people type just fine on it.

So it doesn't happen when she uses another computer? I misunderstood the original post. Again, it could be how quickly she types or her typing posture.

Mishra

Plantwiz wrote:

Mishra wrote:

blargoe wrote:

Is it just one particular application that this occurs in?

Different applications but the computers she has problems on other people type just fine on it.

So it doesn't happen when she uses another computer? I misunderstood the original post. Again, it could be how quickly she types or her typing posture.

no no lol Her typing problems happen on any computer she is on and with different applications. But everyone who uses her computer or other computers she has used types just fine so the problem resides only with her.

Plantwiz

Honestly, if the problem cannot be reproduced...I'd recommend studing her habits. Not to make her paranoid, but to assist in improving her efficiency. It's likely that won't go over too well initially, so a diplomatic sole is a good person to handle the suggestion of allowing her to be monitored.

sprkymrk

Plantwiz wrote:

Honestly, if the problem cannot be reproduced...I'd recommend studing her habits. Not to make her paranoid, but to assist in improving her efficiency. It's likely that won't go over too well initially, so a diplomatic sole is a good person to handle the suggestion of allowing her to be monitored.

A less intrusive way might be to get permission from the user and management to install a good commercial keylogger to record what she types, just up until the first "error" occurs. Then check the log file and see what she did.

Mishra

Some of the problem here is that she is sure (even though she can't give any kind of time line) that she used to type just fine on the computer in the past but the "problem" seems to be getting worse.

Plantwiz

Mishra wrote:

Some of the problem here is that she is sure (even though she can't give any kind of time line) that she used to type just fine on the computer in the past but the "problem" seems to be getting worse.

Well,
this is where a GOOD manager/supervisor steps up and takes the issue. This skill is lacking by many supervisors today (Ex. In a resteraunt (as a patron) say you have a waitress who is SLOW. You can observe she just isn't 'getting' prepwork done, slow on refills, order is only partially complete....while the rest of the tables around your (assisted by different staff) have fresh refills, dinner rolls, and were even asked how their meal is....you want to complain, but don't...you want to deduct if from the tip, but then feel bad because it's obvious she's under-trained (either in life skills or by the store she's at)...you want to complain to the manager, but know you'll end up with a free meal...and that doesn't correct the problem.... What needs to happen is the manager needs to be pro-active and educate the waitress.

Same in this situation. Certainly, someone who has been typing a bit of her life isn't going to like to hear this...and may even quit over being counsoled (isn't that a sad state of today)....but eventually, she's going to impact the bottom line significantly by...being slower in her job, disrupting others around her, tying up IT on a problem that could have been resolved with some additional training.

****

SO, if it can be completely determined that the hardware is not failing. The software is working. Her work environment isn't distracting (chair, desktop, etc...position properly), then the last variable I can think of is the user....she'll either need to slow her typing down to eliminate problems from speed...take some remedial typing lessons to improve where she is and regain the speed...consider a different style keyboard...consider a different layout (Dvorak)...or she'll need to be re-assigned to a task she CAN do.

my 2 cents.