Interface design for older adults

ABSTRACT

As computers become available in more places and situations, particularly with increased use of the Web to disseminate information, it becomes increasingly necessary for older adults, and by this I mean people over 70, to gain access.This paper investigates the factors that seem to inhibit Web use by older adults, and explores aspects of human-computer interface design, which accommodate older users with age-associated disabilities. These disabilities typically include memory impairment, and cognitive and visual impairment, all of which vary from day to day and over longer time periods within an individual. Memory and good sight are crucial for using today's Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) with small buttons, multitasking windows and the requirement to build strategies at the interface in order to complete tasks.This paper draws upon the author's experience in designing a Web browser for visually impaired user's called BrookesTalk, which was subsequently customised for older adults with memory loss. It also shows the need for Design for Dynamic Diversity (DDD), an interface design approach, which accommodates design issues which come about as a result of changing user requirements related to older users' changing abilities.

References

1. Czaja, S., Clarke, C., Weber, R., & Nachbar, D. Computer communication among older adult. In Proceedings of The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 33rd Annual Meeting, (1990), 146 - 148
2. Gardner, D. K. and Helmes, E. Locus of control and self-directed learning as predictors of well-being in the elderly. Australian Psychologist (1999), 34(2) 99-103
3. Marighetto, A., Etchamendy, N., Touzani, K., Torrea, C. C., Yee, B. K., Rawlins, J. N. P. AND Jaffard R. Knowing which and knowing what: a potential mouse model for age-related human declarative memory decline. European Journal of Neuroscience (1999), 11(9) 3312-3322
4. McMellon, C. A, Schiffman, L. G, Sherman, E. Consuming cyberseniors: some personal and situational circumstances that influence their on-line behaviour. Advances in Consumer Research (1997), 24, 517-521
5. Park, D. C. Ageing and memory: mechanisms underlying age differences in performance. Australian Journal on Ageing. (1998) 17(1), 69-72
6. Rabbitt, P. The Alan Welford Memorial Lecture - Ageing and human skill: a 40th anniversary. Ergonomics (1997) 40(10), 962-981
7. Stuart-Hamilton, I. Dictionary of Psychological Testing, Assessment and Treatment.(London, 1995), Jessica Kingsley.
8. Stuart-Hamilton, I. Intellectual changes in late life. In Ed Woods, R. T. Psychological Problems of Ageing (Chichester, 1999) Wiley.
9. Walker, N., Millians, J., & Worden, A.Mouse accelerations and performance of older computer users', Proc The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 40rd Annual Meeting, (1996) 151 - 154
10. Wilkniss, S. M., Jones, M,. Korel, D., Gold, P., & Manning, C. Age-related differences in an ecologically based study of route learning. Psychology and Ageing (1997)12(2) 372-375
11. Zajicek, M. The construction of speech output to support elderly visually impaired users starting to use the Internet, ICSLP 2000, (Beijing, 2000) Vol. I 150 - 153
12. Zajicek, M., & Arnold, A.The 'Technology Push' and The User Tailored Information Environment, 5th European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics. Workshop on 'User interfaces for all', (1999) 5-12
13. Zajicek, M., & Hall, S.Solutions for elderly visually impaired people using the Internet, HCI 2000, (2000) 299-307
14. Zajicek M., Morrissey W. Speech output for older visually impaired adults, Proceedings ofIHM-HCI 2001, (2001) 503 - 513
15. Zajicek, M., Powell, C., & Reeves, C. A Web Navigation Tool for the Blind, In Proceedings of 3rd ACM/SIGAPH on Assistive Technologies (1998) 204-206
16. Zajicek M., Wheatley B., Winstone-Partridge C. Improving the Performance of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry in the Thames Valley, Technical report no. CMS-TR-99-04, (1998) School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University

Index Terms

• Human-centered computing

  • Human computer interaction (HCI)

    • Interaction devices

      • Touch screens