User profile

A structured collection of data describing a user's characteristics, capabilities, preferences, and requirements for interacting with a computing system. In accessibility, user profiles inform how interfaces should adapt to meet individual needs. Traditional approaches (such as the ISO/IEC 24751 Access For All standard) model user profiles primarily as collections of preference settings — screen reader choice, font size, contrast level — that are applied statically. More advanced approaches separate capability (what the user can do), capacity (capability in a specific context), and preference (arbitrary personal choices), enabling dynamic adaptation based on changing conditions rather than fixed configuration. The portability and maintenance of user profiles across devices and contexts remains a significant challenge in accessibility.