Focussing on extra-ordinary users

"Universal Access" is often focused on modifying main-stream products to respond to the demands of older and disabled people - which implies an extremely wide range of user characteristics. "Accessible" system design can produce systems which may be "accessible" but are in no sense "usable". Many system developers also seem to believe that a consideration of older and disabled people mean the abandonment of exciting and beautiful designs. In contrast, we recommend driving inclusive design from the margins not the centre, and that designers should consider a number of "extra-ordinary users" in depth as individual people, rather than as representatives of an age group and/or disability, and design for their desires, and tastes as well as their needs. This provides a reasonable design brief, and the consideration of extremes acts as an effective provocation within the design process. A number of case studies will illustrate the effectiveness of this approach. Ways in which communication with extreme users can be most effectively conducted are also described.