Silver Surfers & eTourism: Web Usability and Testing Methods for the Generation 50plus

Abstract

Silver Surfers show constant growth rates in the usage of the Internet and touristic Internet services. Our motivation is to enlarge the possibilities of investigation into the needs of the Generation 50plus in order to foster innovation in this field. This paper reviews specific user behaviour of senior people while being tested in a Usability Lab. The methodology of "Thinking Aloud" and "Retrospective Review" are compared with each other in terms of acceptance, utility and specific outcomes. In order to optimize web based booking platforms, Silver Surfers - Who show constant growth rates in the usage of the Internet and touristic Internet services - should be tested in an adequate way. To be able to optimize web based booking platforms in the future, recommendations for Usability Test Settings are formulated.