SC35: Standards for User Interfaces

SC35 writes standards with the goal of enabling the accessibility of systems ¹ with user interfaces, or content carried for systems that do provide user interfaces, accessible to diverse users in diverse contexts. SC35 follows a dedicated work program based on a rationale to meet the challenges of diversity.

• user interface accessibility, including requirements, methods, techniques and enablers;
• user accessibility needs and how to use them in context;
• cultural and linguistic adaptability and accessibility (such as evaluation of cultural and linguistic adaptability of ICT products, harmonized human language equivalents, localisation parameters, voice messaging menus);
• user interface objects, actions and attributes;
• methods and technologies for control and navigation within systems, and applications, having regard to visual, auditory and tactile modalities and their refinements as input and output controls (such as by voice, vision, movement, gestures);
• standards for user interfaces for symbols, functionality and interactions (such as graphical, tactile and auditory icons, graphical symbols and other user interface elements);
• visual, auditory, tactile and other sensorial input and output devices and methods in ICT environments (for devices such as keyboards, displays, mice);
• standards for user interfaces for mobile devices, hand‐held devices and remote interaction;
• affective computing including user needs, requirements, functions, and processes, characteristics of affect, and taking into account transparency, interpretability, controllability, verifiability.

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¹ “System” is an umbrella term to cover a multitude of concepts. Usage of the words: system, service, product, interface and device overlap in meaning and are sometimes used interchangeably but there are subtle differences and they are used in different ways by different communities. Here we use the word “system” for most of them. It denotes an external view not including entirely-internal components.

• particular interaction modes and techniques including but not limited to voice, gesture, gaze, reading, typing, clicking, braille and many others ²

• the variety of users’ expectations such as cognitive, cultural and physical.

• the enormous diversity of human needs,

• the enormous diversity of ICT systems and products that need to be accessible to all people,

• the enormous diversity of environments and contexts ³ in which users interact with ICT systems and products,

• the enormous variety of approaches to this challenge.

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² The terms and precise definitions for these vary across cultures and as technological solutions develop and change. A precise list of terms is not feasible here.

³ A context is a situation in which a user finds themselves, such as standing in the rain using an Automated Teller Machine or sitting on a sofa accessing the Internet using a remote keyboard on their lap. The needs a user has in each context may be quite different.

Whilst within the world population the nature of human needs does not change, individual needs do change, both over time and across different contexts. The needs of an individual in one context – say sitting at home watching television, may be quite different from say when standing in the rain using an automated teller machine and such needs may change from one day to the next. Individuals often have very complex collections of needs, sometimes conflicting needs, that are not well understood in society as a whole.

Whilst needs in a population don’t change (biology changes only on evolutionary timescales), technological solutions do. As technology advances new solutions to challenges become possible, and as they do so new standards work is needed to take advantage of the maximum commonality and interoperability of solutions and make systems as accessible as possible. New interfaces become possible – for example voice-controlled systems such as smart speakers with in-built artificial intelligence are becoming popular right now. But in all of this there is great complexity and diversity.

Over time, as ICT has developed, there has not been a broad knowledge of accessibility in our societies. People having specific needs for ways they can interact with systems have often been considered fairly late in the process of system design, if considered at all. There is not, for example, a wide knowledge of what some call disability and there has been a reluctance to design systems to meet all potential needs of all people. A further challenge is that there is not a wide experience of extreme needs in society as many people don’t often encounter persons having those needs. System design has often been aimed at a conceptual average of needs. But just as we all need differently sized clothing and clothing selected from one or several sizes at purchase may not fit perfectly, the so-called average person does not exist and so solutions to challenges based on the average person may not be optimal for anyone. This is changing too, as societies realise the enormous advantages of designing systems accessible to all people and we become better at delivering solutions that cater for the needs of more diverse people.

• wider markets for systems and products and consequent economies of scale,

• meeting the needs of aging populations:     
           • we all age and eventually every one of us has needs in the ways we interact with systems that are not always applicable to younger persons – in many populations the age demographic is changing so that there are increasing numbers of older persons.

• increased well-being in societies,

• increased communication across countries and societies,

• economic feasibility for users procuring needed ICT systems and products – thus avoiding the need for often expensively retro-fitting accessibility,

Across the world, services to people are being increasingly configured and delivered via the Internet. Personal banking is moving online. Shopping is moving online. Local appointments and services are often requested online. Information and Communications Technologies are becoming an increasing part of everyone’s lives – on the Internet, in travel, in buildings, navigating around cities and many other places. If we are not to develop divided societies where some are excluded it is vital that ICT systems are made accessible to all optimally for each person.

• SC35 maintains liaisons with other groups within JTC1. ISO, IEC and the ICT industry in order to maintain a consistent and international approach to the topics within its scope.

• It maintains liaisons and useful contacts with stakeholders and the civil society players, such as corporate actors, researchers or non-profit organisations in the field of accessibility and user interfaces.

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