Some scientists and engineers have the chance to produce broadly beneficial technologies. Watt’s steam engines, Edison’s electric lights, and Pasteur’s vaccines come to mind as 19thcentury examples. In the 20th century plastics, aviation, and medical imaging have brought widespread benefits. And now in the 21stcentury we have the opportunity and challenge to bring the benefits of information and communications to diverse communities of users.
The first step in technology diffusion is that early adopters seek out novelty and cope with difficulties. They proudly overcome the barriers and cleverly adapt themselves and the technology to make it succeed. As necessary refinements become integrated, late adopters and even resisters accept the technology and derive benefits. However, there is no guarantee that diffusion always proceeds smoothly. Some promising technologies like helicopters, solar power, and genetically modified crops have yet to be made sufficiently safe, economical, or useful for widespread diffusion.
Successful diffusion of information and communications technologies depends on carefully refined designs that shorten training, speed performance, prevent errors, and accommodate the constraints encountered by diverse users. Such refinements also produce predictable and controllable technologies that are safe, economical, useful and usable. These were the aims of the organizers of the Conference on Universal Usability who are passionately devoted to advancing information and communications technologies.
We hope that by bringing together academic researchers, industrial developers and government practitioners we can promote improved policies and refined designs. These designs will serve the needs of novices and experts, young and old, English and non-English speakers, and fluent and struggling readers. Improved designs will also benefit disabled users and users working under disabling conditions.
