I became a parent last month and the way I use technology has changed in a way I didn’t expect. I do way more things with one hand than before. A newborn baby requires a lot of attention and there are always some chores to do. For the most part, I didn’t use a tablet at all, mostly my phone. I use swiping instead of typing with two hands (thumbs); that’s how I wrote this post. I read and try to tap on things while on the move, so there is a lot of shaking and imprecision. I often lay down my phone and read from a distance because I need space and both hands to do something.
You can probably assume I’m writing this because the text is too small and the user interface doesn’t scale well with increasing its default size. There are also a lot of misplaced taps and sometimes it’s hard to undo a slip I make. Some actions like zoom-in/out are almost impossible to do with one hand, but they shouldn’t be. And don’t get me started on oversized phones.
The described behavior might as well come from a person with a disability or an impairment. That’s why accessibility is important, not only for people with medical problems, but also for those who find themselves in new and diverse situations where they can’t use technology in an optimal way.