Literally hundreds of papers have been written about interface issues experienced by older adults, but how many actually influence the designs older adults use? The sheer number of articles available, the fast pace of the industry, and time constraints combine to build barriers to knowledge transfer from theory into practice. A distillation of decades of published research, Designing Displays for Older Adults is a primer on age-related changes in cognition, perception, and behavior organized into meaningful principles that improve understanding.
Using theory backed up by evidence provides an understanding of why we see certain problems with many displays and often predicts solutions. This understanding surpasses an individual interface and provides practitioners with ways to plan for older adults on multiple display types. Based on this, the book delineates the theories, then explores how to apply them in real design exercises, providing specific guidelines for display examples that bridge theory and practice. The authors explore the complex set of mental and physical changes that occur during aging and that can affect technology acceptance, adoption, interaction, safety, and satisfaction.
This book provides a fundamental understanding of age related change and explores how such information can influence design from the very beginning stages, rather than waiting for testing to reveal the problems users have with the product. The authors open the way for designing with an understanding of these changes that results in better products and systems for users in all life stages.
Introduction
What Do Older Adults Want from Technology? What Do They do with Technology?
Stereotypes of Older Users
Universal Design
What is a Display?
Goals for the Book
Accessibility Guidelines
Overview of the Book
Suggested Readings
Vision
How Vision Changes with Age
Interim Summary
Display Technologies
In Practice: Presenting Information on the Web
General Design Guidelines
Suggested Readings
Hearing
How Hearing Changes With Age
Interim Summary
Accessibility Aids
Interim Summary
Human Language
Interim Summary
Designing Audio Displays
In Practice: The Auditory Interface
General Design Guidelines
Suggested Readings
Cognition
How Cognition Changes With Age
In Practice: Organization of Information
General Design Guidelines
Suggested Readings
Movement
How Movement Changes with Age
Interim Summary
Movement Disorders
Accessibility Aids for Movement Control
Interim Summary
In Practice: Movement on a Display
General Design Guidelines
Suggested Readings
Older Adults in the User-Centered Design Process
How Testing Older Users is Different
Requirements Gathering
Evaluation/Inspection
Designing/Prototyping/Implementing Alternate Designs
Recruiting
Summary
Suggested Readings
Preface to Usability Evaluations and Redesigns
Organization of the Redesign Chapters
Displays Chosen for Evaluation and Redesign
Integrative Example: Mobile Phone
Perceptual Concerns
Cognitive
Usability Assessment
Specific Design Changes/
Summary
Suggested Readings and References
Integrative Example: Set Top Box
Cognitive Concerns
Perceptual Concerns
Usability Assessment
Specific Design Changes/Recommendations
Summary
Suggested Readings
Integrative Example: Home Medical Device
Cognitive Concerns
Perceptual Concerns
Movement Control and Input
Usability Assessment
Specific Design Changes/Recommendations
Summary
Suggested Readings
Integrative Example: Automobile Displays
Cognitive Concerns
Perceptual Concerns
Guidelines
Movement Control and Input Devices
Usability Assessment
Specific Design Changes/Recommendations
Summary
Suggested Readings
Conclusion
Themes
Important Future Goals
Concluding Remarks
Biography
Anne McLaughlin, Richard Pak
