Humanware is a term that is not part of the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ). The concept, however, is used in different ways in the field of computing .
Humanware, for example, is the individual who is responsible for operating a computer system . In this way, humanware is the human resource that works with a computer .
Software or hardware whose design was developed according to a specific need of the end user is also known as humanware. This means that these resources are designed taking into account the limitations and requirements of those who are going to use them.
The creation of humanware, in this framework, usually includes a testing stage to ensure that the design is appropriate. This is an attempt to optimize the experience that the user will have when using it.
Educational software designed for children of a specific age is an example of humanware. This type of computer programs must take into account the cognitive ability and maturity of the children. Another example of humanware is technology that seeks to provide greater autonomy to individuals with different types of disabilities: in this case, the physical obstacles that users encounter must be considered.
In a broad sense, it can be stated that humanware is linked to the acquisition, implementation and use of computer systems , focusing on the human issue of these processes . Humanware has to do with the successful incorporation of technologies to satisfy people's needs.
Today, the human aspect is one of the most important when creating and developing devices, applications and services, much more than in the early 1990s. Partly thanks to the massification of social networks and other tools. virtual, the public went from having an almost passive role, consisting of accepting the offers imposed on them by the market, to one that allows them to make themselves heard and demand the respect they deserve at every step .
Although we are still far from a reality in which companies treat their customers as living beings, with feelings and needs, the fact that social networks expose them so much means that they must hide their "evil plans", something that before Internet was not happening. It is enough for a customer service not to resolve a complaint for the entire planet to find out in a matter of minutes; It is enough that a product or service does not respect the special needs of a certain group for the company to receive complaints at a global level for its lack of consideration .
In this sense, the concept of humanware has become a necessity for both parties: the user, who demands products and services appropriate to their characteristics; the company, which must respect these issues to avoid public accusations.
Returning to users with certain disabilities , more and more manufacturers are seeking to adapt their mass products to them. A very common example today is the market for controllers to control video games. Since its creation, the only portion of the public that companies had taken into account was those who had two arms, two hands and ten fingers, all with mobility considered "normal"; In this way, it was enough to not meet any of these requirements to be left out of the system.
Fortunately, the implementation of humanware in this area has led several companies to design new versions of their controls, which adapt to different needs so that more and more people can enjoy this content. Something similar happens with keyboards, screens, phones and cars.