The role of the user in product development has until recently been mostly restricted to that of a consumer or 'end user', who is forced to cope with and adapt to existing and new products and services. For products to be usable for all, people with different resources have to be included in the design process. More information about Elderly and disabled people as consumers of technology. More information about Factors affecting uptake and use of technology. It is not enough to consider the end users and their individual resources and requirements when designing new technology.
Nobody uses technology in isolation.
For the end user interface, the main community of use may be home, work, institution,leisure community or other with their specific physical and social environments. Carers and other members of the user's community have their own conceptions about the new technology, and different resources in supporting the user. Other relevant actors as users Also in order to be able to obtain the product, learn to use it, keep using it in daily life, and get the service required by using it, there are several secondary user groups, whose input adds up to overall usability of a product. All these other actors have their own motives to support user, and their own resources for doing so. If a new product comes into the market, the distributors may not be motivated to teach the user to get most of it or customize it to better suit the needs of different customers.