Fact · Dictation
18.67percent less task time with speech commands
In a 1992 study, performance times for word-processing tasks were significantly faster when speech activated commands, with an average reduction of 18.67 percent in task time.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“On average, the reduction in task time due to using speech was 18.67%.”
Speech-Activated versus Mouse-Activated Commands for Word Processing Applications: An Empirical Evaluation, Lewis Karl et al., Unpublished manuscript, University of Maryland (PDF hosted by Ben Shneiderman's site), 1992, Abstract.
Open the original- What it measures
- Participants performed four simple word-processing tasks with speech or the mouse to activate commands, in a counterbalanced design.
- What it does not show
- Tests command activation, not dictating text. The recognizer and software date from 1992, so the speed figure is historical.
Source
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