Universal usability

The article focuses on the need of encouraging research on universal usability of computers to empower every citizen Biblioteca de Ciencias y Tecnología Normal Biblioteca de Ciencias y Tecnología 2 0 2006-05-25T00: 05: 00Z 2006-05-25T00: 05: 00Z 1 194 1070 UCLA 8 2 1262 11. 6568 Clean Clean 21 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table. MsoNormalTable mso-style-name: "Tabla normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size: 0; mso-tstyle-colband-size: 0; mso-style-noshow: yes; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5. 4pt 0cm 5. 4pt; mso-para-margin: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: . 0001pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size: 10. 0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: #0400; mso-fareast-language: #0400; mso-bidi-language: #0400; The article focuses on the need of encouraging research on universal usability of computers to empower every citizen. Universal usability can be defined 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 U. S. households shows that 42% have computers and 26% use Internet-based email or other services. A research agenda based on three challenges in attaining universal usability for web-based and other services include the first challenge to cope with the technology variety by supporting the 100-to-1 range of hardware, software and network access speeds. The other two challenges include the accommodation of enormous diversity of users and bridging the gap between what users know and need to know. Attaining benefits of universal access to web-based and other information, communications, entertainment, and government services will require a more intense commitment to lowering costs, coupled with human-computer interaction research and usability engineering. As a concluding note, the article points out the success of the U. S. in making their services usable by many on recognition of centrality of usability by it. INSET: Web Resources for Universal Usability.