The disclosure relates to a system and method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device. The method comprises: providing a map of a keyboard layout as a collection of segments including a left column of segments and a right column of segments onto the keypad; providing a navigation system having programmable keys in the keypad for moving through the keyboard layout; and associating a set of characters in one segment of the segments to the programmable keys based on a signal received from the navigation system and a current mapping of the collection of segments to the programmable keys. The navigation system has: a left set of directional keys providing navigation controls for the programmable keys when the set of characters are from the left column of segments; and a right set of directional keys providing navigation controls for the programmable keys when the set of characters are from the right column of segments.