Possible implications of aging for interface designers

TLDR

The populations of developed countries are aging, computer use is increasingly pervasive, and interface designs must be accessible to older adults, yet research on usability for older adults is scarce. The study aims to review age‑related effects on relevant abilities and offer design suggestions for interfaces targeting older users. The authors conduct a literature review of age effects on relevant abilities to inform interface design recommendations. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for further research in interface design for older users.

Abstract

The populations of the developed countries are becoming older while computer use is affecting increasingly wide aspects of life. Thus it is increasingly important that interface designs make software accessible to older adults. However there is almost no research on what makes an interface usable for older adults. As a stopgap measure this paper reviews the findings on the effects of age on relevant abilities and uses this information to provide suggestions to consider when designing interfaces for older users. The paper concludes with indications of the needed research in the area of interface design for older users.