Well, not quite, but at System Concepts we do spend a lot of our time working with organisations that want to make their products and services as good as they can for their customers.

There are lots of ways in which we can do this, but one of the most effective ways is by involving Joe Public and asking what he thinks at first glance or asking him to use it.  In our experience we have found that it is important to do both, as seemingly obvious looking controls might not be quite so straightforward once you try and use them for real.

It’s natural to be attracted to things that look nice (and for some products appearance is very important) but they need to work too.  Over the years we have worked on all sorts of things to make them easier, safer, more effective and efficient to use, in a manner that leaves the person using it feeling satisfied with their experience.  As Tom Stewart (our joint MD) pointed out in a recent editorial, trying to unwrap a CD case is not a very satisfying experience for anybody.

We often spend time with real people (not the designers or engineers) to figure out what works best for them.  And that’s where you come in.  Would you like to take part in helping improve all those things around us that nobody can use?

Over the coming months we will be working with organisations that want to ensure their products and services can be used by people with a wide range of abilities, and that they are not discriminating against anyone.

At the moment we are specifically interested in hearing from people with disabilities, who would like to help to make sure that products and services are as user friendly as possible.  You could find yourself helping to test a website or a kiosk, computer equipment or written literature, or even posters and badges (yes, those things with pins on the back).

If you, or somebody that you know, has a disability and would be interested in volunteering please contact us.  Perhaps you use an assistive technology or an alternative input device, or maybe you just make a few changes to the setup of your computer when you use it.  You will be rewarded for the time that you spend with us, and hopefully have some fun in the process.

You can contact us via email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  or by telephone on 020 7240 3388.