Why should people have to adapt to technology?

After years of illness and rehabilitation, Sri Lankan author Mohamed 

Rihazudin Razik is using his experiences to rethink how technology should work for people

We use technology almost every day. We read messages, fill in forms, make payments, attend meetings and look for information online.

For many people, these are simple tasks. We hardly give them a second thought.

But not everyone finds them easy.

A person with poor eyesight may struggle to read a website. Someone with unsteady hands may find it difficult to use a mouse or a touchscreen. An older person may become confused by an application that has too many instructions. A student may need more time to read and understand a passage.

We often expect people to find a way around these difficulties.

I have come to believe that we should be asking a different question.

Why can't technology make things easier for the person using it? a question that came from experience.

I was 22 when I was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Over the years, I underwent seven surgeries, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a long period of rehabilitation.

There were things I had once done without thinking that became difficult. My balance was affected. Writing became a challenge. Reading and concentrating sometimes required more effort than before.

I had to learn to approach many ordinary activities differently.

I also came to understand how frustrating it can be when something that appears simple to another person becomes difficult for you.

Sometimes I needed help. At other times, I wanted the opportunity to try for myself, even if it took longer.

That distinction mattered to me.

I did not always want someone to do things for me. I wanted to be able to do as much as possible on my own.

These experiences stayed with me as I continued learning and working with technology.

Technology should understand the person

Today, we have software that can carry out complicated tasks in seconds. We can communicate across countries, attend classes from home and access information that once required a visit to a library.

Yet something as ordinary as reading a page on a screen can still be difficult for many people.

We tend to design systems around how we expect people to use them. When someone struggles, we may assume that the person needs more training or practice.

Sometimes that is true.

But sometimes the problem lies in the design itself.

A website with small text, confusing instructions or too many steps can create difficulties that need not exist.

I began thinking about what might happen if we approached technology from the other direction.

Instead of expecting every person to use a system in the same way, could we give people more choice in how they use it?

That thinking helped shape Rihazudin i³ — Idea · Innovate · Implement.

Starting with reading

One of the projects I have been working on is an accessible digital reading platform.

The idea grew partly from my own difficulties with reading and concentrating.

I wanted to explore whether a reader could adjust the way information appeared on a screen rather than having to accept a fixed layout.

The platform is being developed with options such as changing text size, adjusting colours, focusing on smaller sections of text and listening to written content.

Some of these features are already available in the working demonstration. Others are still being developed and tested.

I do not believe that one setting will suit everyone.

A person with dyslexia may prefer a different reading layout. Someone with visual difficulty may need larger text or stronger contrast. Another reader may simply find it easier to listen.

Even the same person may need different settings on different days.

My intention is to give readers more control over their experience.

Beyond the reading platform

The idea behind Rihazudin i³ is not limited to reading.

I am interested in how technology can make everyday activities easier in education, healthcare, workplaces and small businesses.

For example, an employee recovering from an illness may need a different way to interact with a computer. A student may understand a lesson better when information is presented in more than one format. An older person may benefit from a digital service that uses clearer instructions.

These are not necessarily problems that require complicated inventions.

Sometimes a small change in the way something works can make a considerable difference.

I am also interested in how organisations can make better use of technology without creating unnecessary complexity or waste.

There is still much to learn, test and improve. I would rather develop something useful and demonstrate what it can do than make promises that have not yet been proven.

The connection with my memoir

My memoir, 'If You Hug Me, I Will Fall', tells the story of my illness, the people who helped me and the years I spent trying to regain my independence.

The title reflects something I learnt during rehabilitation.

There were times when I needed someone beside me, but not necessarily someone holding me up.

If I was to improve my balance, I needed the chance to stand and try, even when I was unsteady.

That experience has influenced how I think about technology.

Good support should not take away a person’s independence. Where possible, it should help them do more for themselves.

I see a connection between that lesson and the work I am trying to do through Rihazudin i³.

An invitation to INFOTEL 2026

From 6 to 8 November 2026, I will be taking part in INFOTEL at BMICH, Colombo. Visitors can find Rihazudin i³ in Hall B, Stall 20.

I will be sharing the ideas behind the initiative, introducing the accessible reading platform and discussing how similar approaches might be useful in other areas.

I would particularly welcome conversations with educators, healthcare professionals, software developers, businesses and people who have experienced difficulties using digital services.

Their experiences and suggestions can help shape what comes next.

I am not presenting Rihazudin i³ as the answer to every problem. It is a beginning, built on personal experience, continued learning and the belief that we can make technology more considerate of the people using it.

After everything I have experienced, one thing has become clear to me.

People do not all move, read, learn or work in the same way.

There is no reason why technology should expect them to.

(The author is Founder, Rihazudin i³ and author of ‘If You Hug Me, I Will Fall’ and can be reached via email at [email protected] or by visiting www.rihazudini3.com.lk)