Ah, Extended Reality—XR for those who like their buzzwords trimmed. It’s that glittering playground where VR, AR, and MR collide, promising to wow your socks off and, if you’re lucky, leave you with enough brainpower to remember your own name. But amidst all the shiny tech, there’s a less glamorous truth that often gets shoved behind the curtain: not everyone gets to play along.

And no, we’re not just talking about the financial gymnastics required to afford a VR headset (seriously, who thought that price tag was cute?).

Accessibility in XR isn’t just a polite nod to inclusivity; it’s about breaking down all the barriers—physical, cognitive, sensory, and technological. So how do we get from “cool tech” to “cool for everyone”? It takes effort, empathy, and maybe a post-it with “WWDD” (What Would Donald [Norman] Do?) on your monitor.

Who’s Donald Norman and why should you care?

Before we go any further, let’s talk about the man, the myth, the UX legend: Donald Norman. If you’ve ever muttered “Why is this so hard to use?!” while wrestling with tech (or, honestly, a door), Norman is the guy who felt your pain—and did something about it.

He’s the author of the iconic The Design of Everyday Things, a book that’s practically the Bible for anyone who cares about making stuff that actually works for humans. Norman’s big idea? Good design is intuitive, seamless, and invisible. When a product works well, you don’t notice it—you just enjoy the experience. When it doesn’t? Well, you’ve probably screamed at a badly labeled button or a chair that’s secretly a medieval torture device.

So why is he relevant to XR? Because his philosophy—that design should cater to the user, not the designer’s ego—is exactly what the XR world needs. In a realm where tech glitz often overshadows usability, Norman’s principles remind us to put people first. Accessibility isn’t just a box to tick; it’s the foundation of good design.

When we say XR should “include and connect,” we’re channeling our inner Norman. After all, his work is the reason we even have terms like user-friendly. Now it’s up to us to make sure XR earns that label, too.

Let’s be real: making XR more accessible isn’t just about warm fuzzies and ethical gold stars. It’s also good business sense. A quick stat drop—over a billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. That’s a billion untapped users, creators, and virtual adventurers. Think about that next time someone tells you accessibility is a “niche issue.”

Donald Norman once said, “Good design is invisible.” And he wasn’t kidding. When XR is done right, you don’t notice the seamlessness—you just enjoy it. When it’s done wrong? Oh, you notice. You definitely notice.