Follow the steps
1. Locate the desired application which you want to assign keyboard shortcut .
2. Right click on the application and select properties
3. Assign a shortcut in the "shortcut key" field to open the application [For example :Type 1 on this "shortcut key" field , then Ctrl+Alt+ 1 will show up as your shortcut key.]
5. Now open the application by using the keyboard shortcut. [ Try Ctrl+Alt+ 1 then your application will open up ]
I have done this idea in windows 7 Operating system