A control device (100, 900) for an electrical control system for producing a variable output electrical signal to an electrical load for controllably varying an output of said load in accordance with the position of the point actuation, said control structure comprising: - an enclosed volume which contains electronic circuitry, said enclosed volume comprising a front surface; - a cover plate (102, 916) adapted to cover said front surface of said enclosed volume, said cover plate (102, 916) having a planar front surface and having a rectangular opening (104, 918) therein; - an elongated touch actuation member (106, 912) disposed in said rectangular opening (104, 918) and adapted to have an operating pressure applied thereto, said elongated touch actuation member (106, 912) being arranged along a longitudinal axis of said control device (100, 900); and - a touch sensitive device (110, 930) aligned with said rectangular opening (104, 918) and extending along said longitudinal direction for substantially the length of said elongated touch actuation member (106, 912), said touch sensitive device (110, 930) mounted between said cover plate (102, 916) and said front surface of said enclosed volume, said touch sensitive device (110, 930) coupled to said electronic circuitry and adapted to produce an output signal which is related to the position within the length of said touch actuation member (106, 912) at which said operating pressure is applied; - wherein said touch actuation member (106, 912) comprises a plurality of first posts extending in a linear array along said longitudinal axis of said control device (100, 900) for substantially the length of said touch actuation member (106, 912), the plurality of first posts operable to transmit the force of the point actuation onto said touch sensitive device (110, 930) in response to the position of the point actuation. - an enclosed volume which contains electronic circuitry, said enclosed volume comprising a front surface; - a cover plate (102, 916) adapted to cover said front surface of said enclosed volume, said cover plate (102, 916) having a planar front surface and having a rectangular opening (104, 918) therein; - an elongated touch actuation member (106, 912) disposed in said rectangular opening (104, 918) and adapted to have an operating pressure applied thereto, said elongated touch actuation member (106, 912) being arranged along a longitudinal axis of said control device (100, 900); and - a touch sensitive device (110, 930) aligned with said rectangular opening (104, 918) and extending along said longitudinal direction for substantially the length of said elongated touch actuation member (106, 912), said touch sensitive device (110, 930) mounted between said cover plate (102, 916) and said front surface of said enclosed volume, said touch sensitive device (110, 930) coupled to said electronic circuitry and adapted to produce an output signal which is related to the position within the length of said touch actuation member (106, 912) at which said operating pressure is applied; - wherein said touch actuation member (106, 912) comprises a plurality of first posts extending in a linear array along said longitudinal axis of said control device (100, 900) for substantially the length of said touch actuation member (106, 912), the plurality of first posts operable to transmit the force of the point actuation onto said touch sensitive device (110, 930) in response to the position of the point actuation.