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How simple is simple: our experience with older adult users

Published: 24 September 2013 Publication History

Abstract

As people age memory capabilities are reduced, thus reminder system can benefit older adult users. However, the uptake of reminder system is still low. In our previous work, we proposed a mental model of older adults for a reminder system. We presented this model using design principles: simplicity, flexibility, recognizability and familiarity. However, in this research, we were only interested to investigate the simplicity element of the user model. To do this, we evaluated two reminder applications -- Calendar and Task which were chosen based on other design principles: flexibility and familiarity. We had six older adult users who evaluated the interfaces based on usability principles: ease of use, ease of learning and user friendliness. The results showed that none of the reminders were considered as easy to use thus classified as unfriendly. What we learned from our study was that older adults only considered 'easy-to-use' if the interfaces were perceived simple enough for them and producing simple design requires a hard work and is a time-consuming process.

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  • (2022)Elderly-Oriented Improvement of Mobile Applications Based on Self-Determination TheoryInternational Journal of Human–Computer Interaction10.1080/10447318.2022.213126440:5(1071-1086)Online publication date: 16-Nov-2022
  • (2021)Participatory Design: Apps from The Older Adults to The Older AdultsPertanika Journal of Science and Technology10.47836/pjst.29.4.3529:4Online publication date: 29-Oct-2021
  • (2019)Mobile Application Menu Design for Elderly in Indonesia with Cognitive ConsiderationJournal of Physics: Conference Series10.1088/1742-6596/1196/1/0120581196(012058)Online publication date: 15-Apr-2019
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    cover image ACM Conferences
    APCHI '13: Proceedings of the 11th Asia Pacific Conference on Computer Human Interaction
    September 2013
    420 pages
    ISBN:9781450322539
    DOI:10.1145/2525194
    Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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    Publication History

    Published: 24 September 2013

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    Author Tags

    1. calendar
    2. elderly
    3. older adults
    4. reminder
    5. simple

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    View all
    • (2022)Elderly-Oriented Improvement of Mobile Applications Based on Self-Determination TheoryInternational Journal of Human–Computer Interaction10.1080/10447318.2022.213126440:5(1071-1086)Online publication date: 16-Nov-2022
    • (2021)Participatory Design: Apps from The Older Adults to The Older AdultsPertanika Journal of Science and Technology10.47836/pjst.29.4.3529:4Online publication date: 29-Oct-2021
    • (2019)Mobile Application Menu Design for Elderly in Indonesia with Cognitive ConsiderationJournal of Physics: Conference Series10.1088/1742-6596/1196/1/0120581196(012058)Online publication date: 15-Apr-2019
    • (2017)CalooProceedings of the 16th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia10.1145/3152832.3152847(25-30)Online publication date: 26-Nov-2017
    • (2017)Design of Mobile Phones for Older Adults: An Empirical Analysis of Design Guidelines and Checklists for Feature Phones and SmartphonesInternational Journal of Human–Computer Interaction10.1080/10447318.2017.134514234:3(251-264)Online publication date: 5-Sep-2017
    • (2013)Teaching Older People Using Web TechnologyProceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Advanced Computer Science Applications and Technologies10.1109/ACSAT.2013.84(396-400)Online publication date: 23-Dec-2013

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