Final answer:
August Dvorak designed his keyboard layout to increase typing efficiency by placing commonly used letters under the strongest fingers and reducing finger movement, aiming for faster and more comfortable typing compared to the QWERTY layout.
Step-by-step explanation:
August Dvorak sought to improve the efficiency of typing when he invented an alternative layout to the QWERTY keyboard. The Dvorak keyboard was designed with the goal of increasing typing speed and reducing errors and finger fatigue. Dvorak's research concluded that placing the most commonly used letters in the English language under the strongest fingers and minimizing finger movement across the keyboard could lead to more efficient typing. This alternative layout was meant to facilitate a more natural movement of typists' fingers, potentially allowing for a more comfortable and rapid typing experience compared to the traditional QWERTY layout.
While the Dvorak keyboard received some attention for its potential benefits, it could not gain widespread popularity, and the QWERTY layout remains the standard primarily due to being deeply entrenched in society and the challenge of retraining typists.