Foundations and Trends® in Human–Computer Interaction > Vol 3 > Issue 4

Universal Usability: Past, Present, and Future

By Gabriele Meiselwitz, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Universal Usability Laboratory, Towson University, USA, gmeiselwitz@towson.edu | Brian Wentz, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Universal Usability Laboratory, Towson University, USA, bwentz2@students.towson.edu | Jonathan Lazar, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Universal Usability Laboratory, Towson University, USA, jlazar@towson.edu

 
Suggested Citation
Gabriele Meiselwitz, Brian Wentz and Jonathan Lazar (2010), "Universal Usability: Past, Present, and Future", Foundations and Trends® in Human–Computer Interaction: Vol. 3: No. 4, pp 213-333. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/1100000029

Publication Date: 11 Aug 2010
© 2010 G. Meiselwitz, B. Wentz and J. Lazar
 
Subjects
Universal Usability
 

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In this article:
1 Introduction 
2 History of Universal Usability (UU) 
3 Technological Diversity 
4 User Diversity 
5 Bridging Gaps in User Knowledge 
6 Context-Aware Computing and Contextual Design 
7 Tools and Frameworks for UU 
8 Design Processes for UU 
9 Standards and Guidelines for Universal Usability 
10 Public Policy and UU 
11 Cost-Justifying Universal Usability 
12 Security/Privacy and Universal Usability 
13 Summary/Future Directions 
References 

Abstract

Computers are used all over the world in a variety of contexts by users with all levels of technical experience. This includes users such as kindergarteners, older users, people with various impairments, people who are busy doing other tasks (such as driving a car), and users with differing levels of education, literacy, and socio-economic means. The concept of computer interfaces that will be easy to use, for all of these users, in all of these different situations, is known as "universal usability." Making progress toward this goal requires innovations in techniques for gathering and understanding requirements, designing and developing interfaces, evaluation and assessment, development and use of standards, and public policy, and much work in this field remains to be done. This monograph will present an overview of universal usability as it currently exists in the human–computer interaction literature, and will also present some future directions for work in universal usability.

DOI:10.1561/1100000029
ISBN: 978-1-60198-376-3
128 pp. $85.00
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ISBN: 978-1-60198-377-0
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Table of contents:
1: Introduction
2: History of UU
3: Technology Diversity
4: User Diversity
5: Bridging Gaps in User Knowledge
6: Context-aware Computing and Contextual Design
7: Tools and Frameworks for Universal Usability
8: Design Processes for Universal Usability
9: Standardizations and Guidelines for Universal Usability
10: Public Policy and Universal Usability
11: Cost-Justifying Universal Usability
12: Security/Privacy and Universal Usability
13: Summary and Future Directions in Universal Usability
References

Universal Usability

Universal Usability: Past, Present, and Future surveys the state-of-the-art of human-computer interaction research into the design and development of interfaces that will be easy to use for users of all levels of technical experience ability. Computers are integrated into our daily lives in many ways. Users with all levels of training and education, users with disabilities, the very young and the very mature are using computers for many different tasks. This diversity makes it challenging for information and communication system designers to provide systems which will be easy to use by all, everywhere. Universal usability addresses this challenge and its goal is to design systems which enable the largest possible group of users to successfully use information and communication technology. Universal Usability: Past, Present, and Future looks at the progress that has been made towards this goal. It outlines the innovations in techniques for gathering and understanding requirements; designing and developing interfaces; evaluation and assessment; standards practices; and public policy. It is an invaluable reference for computer scientists or designers researching or designing information and communication systems that support universal user flexibility, user control, system transparency, availability and accessibility.

 
HCI-029