UniversalUsability.org

The goal of universal access to information and communications services is compelling. Enthusiastic networking innovators, business leaders, and government policy makers see opportunities and benefits from widespread usage. But even if they succeed and the economies of scale bring low costs, computing researchers will still have much work to do. They will have to deal with the difficult question: How can information and communications services be made usable for every citizen? Designing for experienced frequent users is difficult enough, but designing for a broad audience of unskilled users is a far greater challenge. Scaling up from a listserv for 100 software engineers to 100,000 schoolteachers to 100,000,000 registered voters will take inspiration and perspiration.

Designers of older technologies such as postal services, telephones, and television have reached the goal of universal usability, but computing technology is still too hard to use for many people (Shneiderman, 1998). One survey of 6000 computer users found an average of 5.1 hours per week wasted in trying to use computers. More time is wasted in front of computers than on highways. The frustration and anxiety of users is growing, and the number of non-users is still high. Low-cost hardware, software, and networking will bring in many new users, but interface and information design breakthroughs are necessary to achieve higher levels of success.

We can define universal usability as having more than 90% of all households as successful users of information and communications services at least once a week. A 1998 survey of US households shows that 42% have computers and 26% use Internet-based email or other services (NTIA, 1999). The French Minitel reaches 21% of residences, but the percentage declines in poorer and less educated areas within the US and in many countries around the world. Cost is an issue for many, but hardware limitations, the perceived difficulty, and lack of utility discourages others. If countries are to meet the goal of universal usability, then researchers will have to aggressively address usability issues.

"In a fair society, all individuals would have equal opportunity to participate in, or benefit from, the use of computer resources regardless of race, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin or other such similar factors." -- ACM Code of Ethics

This paper presents a research agenda based on three challenges in attaining universal usability for web-based and other services:

• Technology variety: Supporting a broad range of hardware, software, and network access
• User diversity: Accommodating users with different skills, knowledge, age, gender, disabilities, disabling conditions (mobility, sunlight, noise), literacy, culture, income, etc.
• Gaps in user knowledge: Bridging the gap between what users know and what they need to know

This list may not be complete but it addresses important issues that are insufficiently funded by current initiatives. Research devoted to these challenges will have a broad range of benefits for first time, intermittent and frequent users.

The term universal access is usually linked to the US Communications Act of 1934 covering telephone, telegraph, and radio services. It sought to ensure "adequate facilities at reasonable charges," especially in rural areas and prevent "discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex." The term universal access has been applied to computing services, but the greater complexity of computing services means that access is not sufficient to ensure successful usage. Therefore universal usability has emerged as an important issue and a topic for computing research. The complexity emerges, in part, from high degree of interactivity that is necessary for information exploration, commercial applications, and creative activities. The Internet is compelling because of its support for interpersonal communications and decentralized initiatives: entrepreneurs can open businesses, journalists can start publications, and citizens can organize political movements.

The increased pressure for universal access and usability is a happy byproduct of the growth of the Internet. Since services such as e-commerce, communication, education, healthcare, finance, and travel are expanding and users are becoming dependent on them, there is a strong push to ensure that the widest possible audience can participate. Another strong argument for universal usability comes from those who provide access to government information (such as the US Library of Congress' THOMAS system to provide full texts of bills before the Congress) and the movement towards citizen services at federal, state, and local levels. These services include tax information and filing, social security benefits, passports, licensing, recreation and parks, and police and fire departments. Another circle of support includes employment agencies, training centers, parent-teacher associations, public interest groups, community services, and charitable organizations.

Critics of information technology abound, but often they focus on the creation of an information-poor minority, or worse, Internet apartheid. Although the gap in Internet usage has been declining between men and women, and between old and young, the gap is growing between rich and poor and between well and poorly educated (NTIA, 1999; Anderson et al., 1995). Less well documented is the continuing separation between cultural and racial groups, and the low rates of usage by disadvantaged users whose unemployment, homelessness, poor health, or cognitive limitations raise further barriers (Silver, 1999).

There are other criticisms of information and communications systems that should be heard by technology promoters. These include concerns about breakdown of community social systems, alienation of individuals that leads to crime and violence, loss of privacy, expansion of bureaucracies, and inadequate attention to potential failures (such as the year 2000 problems or loss of power/data). Open public discussion of these issues by way of participatory design strategies and Social Impact Statements might reduce negative and unanticipated side effects.

Technology enthusiasts can be proud of what has been accomplished and by the number of successful Internet users, but deeper insights will come from understanding the problems of frustrated users, and of those who have stayed away. Each step to broaden participation and reach these forgotten users by providing useful and usable services will bring credit to our profession. A necessary first step is to formulate a research agenda.