The document provides guidelines for text input on smart TV systems based on research evaluating different systems and observing user behavior. The 8 guidelines developed are: 1) use predictive text to help users input text more efficiently, 2) enable content discovery with predictive search results, 3) provide a choice of keyboard layout but default to A-Z grid, 4) avoid forcing people to read detailed instructions, 5) create simple interfaces and remote controls, 6) enable flexible cursor control, 7) ensure easy text editing, and 8) use plain consistent English in labels.

1. June 2011
Text Input for Smart TV Systems
58 Bloomsbury Street
London WC1B 3QT
+44 (0)207 307 7770
www.amber-light.co.uk

2. Text input for smart TV systems
• Text input is an essential part of many interactions
o Searching
o Completing forms
o Submitting passwords
o Social media, etc
• Smart TV systems pose problems for text input as:
o Typically the screen is 10 feet away from the user
o The input device is often a slim remote control with no
physical keyboard
• The goals of this research project were to:
o Evaluate how people input text in smart TV systems in order
to develop best practice guidelines for text input

3. Top level findings
• Amberlight performed an expert review of several
systems and observed users undertake typical tasks
• From this work eight principles for text input in smart
TV systems were identified
1. Use predictive text to help users input text more efficiently
2. Enable content discovery with predictive search results
3. Provide a choice of keyboard layout (qwerty, a-z or sms),
but default to an a-z grid
4. Avoid forcing people to read detailed instructions
5. Create simple interfaces and remote controls, but provide
additional shortcuts for experts
6. Enable users to control cursors as flexibly as possible
7. Ensure users find it easy to edit text by deleting and adding
8. Use plain and consistent English in labels

4. Main findings

5. Apple TV ranked #1 by 8 out of 10 participants
• 8 out of 10 participants
ranked the Apple TV as their
preferred device for text entry
due to:
• Simplicity of remote
control
• Effective predictive text
• Search results update in
real time

6. Predictive text

7. Predictive text promotes efficiency
Apple TV Users can find content easily
by entering a few letters
It is likely that the desired
content will be shown
before the search terms
have been completed

8. Problems with predictions
Wii and PlayStation
assume a new word is
starting when text input
is delayed
It is not clear on the Wii
that this button turns
predictive text on and off
Predictive words on the
PlayStation were not
used, and often not seen
Place predictions and search input box closely together
Only let predictive text identify new words when a space has been entered
Make it clear how to turn predictive text on and off

9. Search results

10. Real time results are welcomed by users
Apple TV
Search results update in
real time offering
immediate feedback
and rapid access to the
desired content

11. Thumbnails promote efficient search
Apple TV
Users find thumbnail
images from the search
results helpful as they
frequently recognise
brands, actors and other
imagery from content
more quickly than names

12. Predictive search results allow serendipity
Predictive search results
means users receive
suggestions about content
they may be interested in

13. Keyboard

14. A keyboard signifies that users can enter text
Showing a keyboard informs
people that they can enter
text in a simple way
Display a keyboard or a keypad to let users know they can enter text

15. Past experience effects user preferences
Nintendo Wii QWERTY layout Keyboard layout preferences
vary strongly, depending on
experience and skills
It is important to make it
clear to people that they can
Free VIEW A to Z layout
switch between different
layouts
Free SAT SMS layout
Offer a choice of keyboard to avoid forcing people to use systems they
find difficult

16. Grids make navigation easier
Apple TV
People can navigate
around letters using
directional buttons
on a remote control
Make A-Z grid the default option for keyboard layout

17. Layout options need to be obvious
Most users keep default settings
and do not notice subtle tab
options, even at top of screen
Options to change input styles at
bottom of the screen mean users
are even more unlikely to see
them
Focus on promoting layout and case change options with size and colour

18. Text style

19. Avoid long instructions
Sky TV SKY makes users read
instructions
This causes irritation and
makes people guess how
to use the system as they
skip the text
A keyboard shows people
what to do without having
to explain how to do it
Sky Vegas

20. Remote controls

21. Simple remotes are intuitive
Apple TV
Fewer buttons mean
participants were
quickly able to learn
what each button did
People think each button
has a function and will
make the TV do something
they don’t want it to do

22. But shortcuts are great for experts
Game controllers
Games controllers provide
many shortcuts
Novices are unlikely to
use these but experts will
find them helpful

23. TV remote buttons can feel unresponsive
Buttons on TV remotes can
feel sticky and slow
They may seem
unresponsive because they
rely on infra red signals
Interactive TV companies should consider including blue tooth as part of their
boxes in addition to infra red

24. Cursor control

25. Moving the cursor with the remote
Most devices restrict users to
moving horizontally or vertically
The ability to “fly” around
the Wii keyboard allows
increased efficiency when
entering text
Increasing directional control (e.g. diagonal cursor movement) may increase
efficiency for users

26. Cursor control increases input efficiency
It is difficult for a user to
correct a spelling mistake in
the middle of a word without
cursor control
Smart TV should learn from games consoles and let users move
cursor to any position on the screen in as few moves as possible

27. Confirming targets
Many users find the vibration of
the Wii remote helpful as a way
of identifying exactly what they
are pointing at, although some
users who are unfamilar with it
find it irritating
The Wii system helpfully
identifies the target letter by
expanding it when it is pointed at
Provide ways of quickly identifying the selected target e.g. change in size
or movement
Allow users to turn off vibration, if implemented

28. Cursors should facilitate in-page navigation
Apple TV
Not clear how to switch from
keyboard to search results
>
>
>
Arrows would indicate users can move to the right of the screen

29. Editing text

30. Make it easy to delete
Users need to be No instructions on how to
able to correct delete text when users are
errors in non-keyboard layout
Back arrows and the word
“backspace” are not seen as
synonymous with “delete”
Instructions won’t be read;
clicking a left arrow button is
not a normal way to delete
In contrast, Apple TV uses the word “delete”
Include a delete button, either on the remote or as a clear onscreen label

31. Make it easy to add a space
Free VIEW and Free SAT make the space button
bigger, like it is on a keyboard
But it is not clear to users that
the symbol is a space
]
SKY relies on a mobile phone
keypad input but displays a
speaker symbol which is confusing
The word “space” would be clearer than having a symbol
]

32. Labelling

33. Shortcut labels must be clear and obvious
Few people saw link
between coloured
buttons on screen and
on remote control
This shortcut label is confusing because the
remote control also has a button labelled “ok”

34. Shapes and buttons can cause confusion
“Select” suggests Shapes on the PlayStation
that this is the suggest incorrect functions
button to use to e.g. cross suggests delete and
select a letter triangle suggests upwards
Shoulder buttons on X-Box and
PlayStation have name of button
bevelled on the controller which is
difficult to see
Avoid conflicting symbols and names
Avoid hidden buttons on remote controls
Remotes need clear, visible labels for what each button does

35. Take care with icons
Connection between “play” and
“pause” symbols on the screen and
on the remote to change a keyboard
is not seen
SMS suggested people could send a
text message instead of changing
layouts on Free SAT
PlayStation buttons are easily missed
and do not communicate that they
can be used to change layout
Clear labels are needed to tell users how to change keyboard layouts.
Icons are potentially confusing ways of communicating

36. Use clear instructions
The Wii icons show different
options clearly
Apple TV uses plain English
Use clear icons, plain English, and positioning at the top of the screen

37. Colour should not be used to indicate options
Sky Vegas
Users do not always associate
colour with the physical remote
control buttons
Using colour in this way is also
problematic for accessibility

38. Summary: Guidelines for text entry in
smart TV systems

39. Guidelines for text entry: 1
Use prediction to make text input efficient
 Make suggestions for what the next letter and what the next word could be
 Only let the predictive system propose a new word after a space has been
entered to signal the end of the previous word
 Keep input text and suggested letters and words close together on the
screen so they appear related
 Let users turn off the predictions if it causes them more problems than it
solves

40. Guidelines for text entry: 2
Use search to promote serendipity
 Show predictive search results as a user enters each letter: live search
results give users welcome feedback and reduce keystrokes
 Serendipity is important for most media owners who want users to
discover new types of content. Real time search results, especially
combined with thumbnail images, will promote serendipity very
effectively

41. Guidelines for text entry: 3
Show a keyboard
 A keyboard signifies to users that you can enter text
 Provide alternative layouts to meet differing user needs. Default to an
A-Z grid
 Ensure that commands to select different options are easy to see and
understand, for instance by ensuring tabs are sufficiently salient and
commands are top of screen rather than bottom of screen

42. Guidelines for text entry: 4
Don’t make people read long instructions
 Reading text at a distance is difficult and causes people irritation or
forces them to guess what to do
 Provide intuitive buttons and tabs, and intuitive functionality such as
keyboards, in preference to long instructions

43. Guidelines for text entry: 5
Simplify remotes wherever possible
 Manufacturers should consider simplifying remote controls by
reducing the number of buttons and providing more screen-based
interactivity
 Users make fewer mistakes and learn more quickly with simpler
remote controls
 Provide short cuts for experts and make these easy to locate
 Bluetooth may make remote controls more effective for users by
reducing the number of times that remote control clicks have no
effect

44. Guidelines for text entry: 6
Enable maximum cursor control
 Arrow buttons are a clumsy way of navigating a screen. Other methods
such as diagonal movement and even “point and click” devices are likely
to provide a solution to improving text entry
 Provide feedback to user when a target letter has been selected for
instance by enlarging it or having it move slightly

45. Guidelines for text entry: 7
Make it easy to edit text
 Have a clearly labelled and clearly visible button on the screen to
delete text
 Enable users to delete text by moving their cursor right as well as
left
 Make the “space bar” easy to see and slightly larger than other
keys to fit with real world keyboard experience

46. Guidelines for text entry: 8
Use plain English
 Labels should be consistent
 Labels on screen should not duplicate labels on remotes unless
they have exactly the same function
 If it is considered desirable to use icons, these should be clear, of
sufficient size and contrast to be seen easily and ideally supported
by text
 Colour on its own should not be used to deliver information

47. Thank you
58 Bloomsbury Street
London WC1B 3QT
+44 (0)207 307 7770
www.amber-light.co.uk

48. Credits
• Senior consultant
o Jeremy Swinfen Green, Managing Director, Amberlight
Partners, email: jeremy@amber-light.co.uk
• Lead consultant
o Dominic Francis, Consultant, Amberlight Partners, email:
dominic@amber-light.co.uk
• Reviewing consultant
o Swetha Sethumadhavan, Consultant, Amberlight Partners,
email: swetha@amber-light.co.uk

49. Detailed background to participating companies
Amberlight Partners:
An independent research and design consultancy that advises blue chip
clients on customer experience across all platforms
TouchType:
A Cambridge University start-up company that has developed a predictive
text entry application for mobile phones and tablet devices.
Working together:
Both companies are passionate about technology, and have come
together because of their shared interest in creating effective interfaces
for smart television applications

50. How we did it
• Methodology
o Expert review
o User observations: ten people interviewed for 1 hour and
asked to perform text entry tasks across seven devices
• Test participants
o Ten participants; mix of males and females; age range of 33 –
60; non tech-savy users
• Devices evaluated
o Apple TV Sony PlayStation 3
o Free SAT Nintendo Wii
o Sky TV Microsoft X-box 360
o FreeView

51. Tasks
Participants were asked to perform several realistic text entry tasks
Search for the movie Independence Day starring Will Smith using the iStore
Search for the programme Doctor Who or a programme of your choosing to see when it is scheduled
Enter your first and last name as part of the registration service to one of Sky’s casino gambling and
gaming services
Using Free VIEW search for when Dragons’ Den is scheduled
Using Free SAT search for when Blue Peter is scheduled
Do a search on the internet for the Chris Moyles show on BBC Radio 1
Log into Facebook
Write a memo alerting you to watch Glee or Top Gear on Sunday evening

52. Task rotation
Tasks orders were rotated to avoid users being influenced by tasks
Apple Sky Sky Free Free Playstation X-box Wii
TV TV Vegas VIEW SAT
P1 1 2 3 4 5 6
P2 6 1 2 3 4 5
P3 5 6 1 2 3 4
P4 4 5 6 1 2 3
P5 3 4 5 6 1 2
P6 2 3 4 5 6 1
P7 1 2 3 4 5 6
P8 6 1 2 3 4 5
P9 5 6 1 2 3 4
P10 4 5 6 2 1 3
- Primary tasks attempted by all participants
- Secondary tasks attempted by 5 participants