IBM’s Frances West Says Demand Is Rising for Easy-to-Use Technology

http://goo.gl/DWxiJW

WSJ: Why did IBM create this position?
MS. WEST: One reason is demographics. We see the emergence of the aging population on one end, and on the other end the millennials. They’re very socially conscious, so the topic of mainstreaming people with different abilities is very natural for them.
Second, the U.S. has new regulations for federal contractors [requiring them to aim for 7% of the workforce being people with disabilities]. And we see new legislation and policies globally—in Europe, Canada, Australia and China.
Last, we’re a technology company, and the proliferation of mobile is relevant to disability. It has [changed how we think about] ease of use and accessibility, and making sure that our technology is adaptive and available for anyone to use anytime, anyplace.