Designing tablet computers for the elderly a user-centered design approach

Abstract

The fast aging of many western and eastern societies and their increasing reliance on information technology create a compelling need to reconsider older users’ interactions with computers. Changes in perceptual and motor skill capabilities that often accompany the aging process bring important implications for the design of information and communication technologies. This paper summarizes different methods integrated into a user-centred design approach to develop design concepts for a tablet computer, focussing on the needs and wishes of the elderly. Therefore, current tablet computers were compared respective their applicability und usability. Furthermore, based on the results of a questionnaire, elevating the needs of the user group two design concepts were developed and evaluated.