Advice on designing for older people often urges us to consider this audience as our future selves. In one sense, this is helpful, as it fosters empathy with older users. But in another sense, it's misleading — it hints that all of the challenges we face in designing for more senior people now are ones we will face in 20, 30, or even 40 years. Some design considerations are persistent because they relate to limitations that tend to come upon us as our bodies age. Eyesight dims, colour vision changes, hearing declines, joints lose flexibility, and memory isn't what it used to be. We will all experience some of these changes as we grow older, although at our own pace and in unique ways. And for the foreseeable future, bodies will continue to develop age-related limitations. Older people will always face these challenges simply because they are older, and our designs will always need to accommodate them. Unfortunately, much of what we read and hear about designing for older adults mixes ageing-body limitations with issues such as comfort with technology, willingness to scroll, or typical online activities. Perhaps people will always become more hesitant to learn new technologies as they grow older and more frustrated when technology doesn't work as they expect. But the specific design considerations will change as technology evolves. As designers, we need to understand which challenges we will always need to accommodate and which ones will evolve. It all boils down to the difference between challenges people have because they are older — and ones they have because they are older NOW. This talk will help you understand what advice you can rely on for the long term and what issues you should keep testing for. It will illustrate with examples, including some from my own experience of being an older person who sees some age-related physical changes and is also very comfortable with technology. This slide deck brings up to date the presentation of the same name that I gave at UX Cambridge in 2016 (and which can be found elsewhere among Nexer's uploads).

1. Elizabeth Buie, PhD FRSA
Senior UX Consultant, Nexer Digital
@ebuie
nexerdigital.com – @Nexer_Digital
Older Adults:
Are we really designing
for our future selves?

2. “Designing for
our future selves”

3. “Designing for Our Future Selves”
2015
1993

4. It’s a popular theme!

5. But does it help?

6. Well, yes and no.

7. First, let’s set some
expectations.

8. What I won’t give you today
Design guidelines for older people
There are plenty of those around.
(I will include some links in the resources.)

9. What I offer
v Some insights into the phrase
“designing for our future selves”
Ø Thoughts on how it works (or not)
Ø Ideas about why it works (or not)
v An understanding of the issues
Ø Why some may apply to your future self
Ø Why some will continue to require user
research
v Illustrations from my own perspective
and experience

10. Why design for older adults?
(Some obligatory stats)

11. Graph shows UK stats by age group. Source: Office for National Statistics
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/householdcharacteristics/homeinternetandsocialmediausage/bulletins/
internetaccesshouseholdsandindividuals/2020
Why design for older adults: Growing demand
v From 2013 to 2020, “recent”
Internet use by older adults in
the UK grew enormously:
v 55-64 — up by 34%
v 65-74 — up by 55%!
v 75+ — up by 114%!!
v And this was before Covid
— HOWEVER —
v Older adults still use the
Internet quite a bit less than
younger people do

12. Graph shows worldwide stats on use by age group, in 2019.
(Source: statista.com)
Why design for older adults: Unmet needs
v In 2019, adults over 55 were
only 17% of Internet users
world wide
v In contrast, 25-to-34-year-olds
were almost twice that number,
at 32% of users globally
v Can we use design to improve
how well digital products and
services meet older adults’
needs?
55-64
(10%)
65+
(7%)
25-34
(32%)

13. Why design for older adults: Inclusion
“In rich countries, older users are
the last Internet frontier, as every
other age group is already online
in vast numbers.”
– Jakob Nielsen
Some of the accessibility issues that older adults commonly face
are often overlooked in design.

14. Other factors in tech non-use
Design is not the only barrier, of course. Here are some
other factors that an Age UK study* found:
v Covid reduced access to tech when libraries were
closed or had limited hours
v People worry about being scammed
v Some cannot afford the kit and connection costs
v Many people object to what they see as pressure
to go online
* www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/reports-and-briefings/active-communities/policy-
briefing--living-in-a-digital-world-after-covid-19-the-experience-of-older-people-who-dont-live-their-lives-online.pdf
(Source: age.uk)
This talk does not address these issues.

15. So, that slogan —
does it help?

16. Well, your future self will be
an older adult (we hope)…

17. Who are older adults?

18. Who are “older adults”?
Just how old is “older”?

19. How old is “older”? How do we define it?
40? 50? 60? 65?
95?
…
v How old are “older” users?
v Are you experiencing any changes yourself?
v What sorts of changes can age bring?
v When does age start to matter for digital design?

20. “Older” encompasses a wide range of ages
v Studies of older adults start at 50, 55, 60, even 65 — so
the findings can vary quite a lot!
v Age-related changes start even earlier…
v Bob Bailey analysed a large amount of research and
proposed four UX-related age categories for adult users*:
Old-old: 75+ Middle-aged: 40-59
Older: 60-74 Young: 20-39
* assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/research/oww/university/Bailey_AgeCategories4.ppt
Anyone think that 50-year-olds and 95-year-olds face the same issues?

21. Older adults?
OAPs?
Older people?
Elderly?
Old people?
What term(s) do we use for older users?
Aged?

22. Older adults?
OAPs?
Older people?
Elderly?
Old people?
What term(s) do we use for older users?
Aged?

23. OMG, am I “older”?

24. Am I “older”?
Yes
At least, I am
(When I gave an earlier version of this talk in 2016, I was about to turn 64)
On my next birthday I’ll be 70

25. What does it mean?
By itself,
not much

26. Why not?
We all age
differently

27. However…

28. Your future self
will almost certainly
experience some
age-related impairments.
However…
(For this reason — YES, the slogan can help.)

29. Effectsofage-relatedchanges
v Senses: vision, hearing, touch
(also smell, taste)
v Movement: co-ordination,
comfort, speed, steadiness
v Cognition: memory, speed of
learning, information processing,
reaction time
v Attitude: Confidence with new
tech, willingness to learn new
technologies and procedures

30. Changesareunpredictable
v Begin at different ages
v Develop at different speeds
v Reach different levels of severity
v Occur in some or even most
people, but not in everyone
An impairment can appear
sooner, later — or never

31. A few important
age-related impairments

32. Vision: decreased lower-light vision
v Common effects on vision:
Ø Need for higher text/background contrast
Ø Need for brighter screen, and brighter light for printed content
Ø Trouble telling dark blues/greens/black apart, especially in low light
v Can be caused by the type of cataract that “yellows” the lens
v Can come from a loss of “rod” cells and/or light-sensitive pigment
v etc etc…
I experience all three of these common effects
• I had cataract surgery in the summer of 2021
• My cataracts were not yellow, and I still experience those effects
• So mine must be due to something else

33. I lied. I will give you one
design guideline…
Make sure you have
enough colour contrast!
v The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG) specify a ratio of 4.5 to 1 for
normal text
v This one is frequently overlooked —
something may look fine to you but still
have inadequate contrast
v Verify it with a contrast checker, such as
the one from WebAIM:
webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker

34. Vision: focusing/presbyopia
v Reduced ability to focus close up
v Difficulty changing focus quickly
v Caused by a hardening of the lens
v Common in people over 40
v Almost everyone experiences it
eventually
I use reading glasses
Ø Most people need reading glasses by age 45
Ø I was 54
Ø I had cataract surgery last summer and now need to use them
more often: artificial lenses cannot change focus at all

35. Some other age-related eye conditions*
Condition Younger % Older % Diff.
Diabetic Retinopathy 40-49, 2.3% 75+, 8.1% 3.5 times
Glaucoma 40-49, 0.7% 80+, 7.9% 11 times
Cataracts 40-49, 2.5% 80+, 68.3% 27 times
Age-related macular
degeneration (AMD)
50-54, 0.4% 80+, 11.7% 29 times
These can begin at varying ages but ARE age associated
*From US data for 2010, provided by the National Eye Institute, US National Institutes of Health

36. Simulations of two age-related eye conditions
Normal vision Simulated conditions
Age-related
Macular
Degeneration
* Images by National Eye Institute, US National Institutes of Health
Cataract

37. Hearing: high-frequency loss
≤18, 22kHz
≤24, 17kHz
≤39, 15kHz
≤50, 12kHz
≤60, 10kHz
All ages, 8kHz
Test yourself! www.noiseaddicts.com/2011/06/mosquito-ringtones
B
C
A
D
E
F
In a quiet environment, at age 64
I could still hear clearly “50 and
younger” (and I still can, FAINTLY)
Develops gradually, beginning very early
At 69 I can hear VERY CLEARLY
“60 and younger”, even with some
ambient noise
Tests show that my hearing is still slightly above
normal for my age, but it is no longer brilliant —
and this feels like a loss to me.

38. Hearing: voices & listening levels
v Increasing trouble understanding conversations
v Higher speech volume needed for listening comfort —
“Say that again?”
I’m definitely noticing this.
No idea whether I’m “on time” for it or not.

39. Movement, dexterity: arthritis, tremors
v Arthritis frequency/severity increases with age
v Tremors from neurological conditions are more
common and more severe with age
v Both affect hand movement speed and accuracy
(typing, mousing, tapping…)
I have osteoarthritis and essential tremor, both of which
affect my wrists and fingers.
I may be a bit ahead of “schedule” on the arthritis…

40. Cognition: reasoning, processing, learning
v Info processing, working memory, and learning may
become slower with ageing: fluid intelligence
— HOWEVER —
v Knowledge from education and experience remains
throughout life*: crystallised intelligence
I’ve noticed some decline in processing speed
v The calendar algorithm in my head still works
v 5-6 years ago, it started slowing down
*
Except when affected by dementia

41. Attitude: confidence, willingness, awareness
v Confidence that they can use new technology
v Willingness to learn new technologies, processes
v Awareness: Many do not feel “disabled” and may
not take advantage of assistive technologies
I used a crutch for several months before my hip surgery,
and I liked it much better than the cane I had used before…
The crutch conveyed disability or injury rather than old age!

42. That’s the benefit the phrase brings.
The three “E”s
Empathy
Engagement
Enthusiasm
Understand and appreciate older adults’ experiences, goals,
feelings, needs — WITHOUT patronising them
Listen actively to their stories, perspectives, wishes
E
E
E
Take delight in improving their experience of things they use

43. How does the slogan
NOT help?

44. Well, today’s older adults
differ from your future self

45. The slogan overlooks
those differences

46. Different experience: knowledge of tech
v Many modern technologies are unfamiliar to many older adults
v This will continue, and will always present design challenges
v Your future self will have the same problem, BUT —
v Your problems will involve different technologies
v This may be due to your age when the tech was introduced
Could you unstick the keys on a manual,
mechanical typewriter?
Most “younger” people in the USA cannot
drive a car that has a manual transmission

47. Different experience: life experience
v Leads to “crystallised intelligence”
v “May help explain older people’s relatively high success on
ill-defined search tasks” –David Sloan*
v Your future self will have this as well,
— HOWEVER —
v Your life experiences will differ in some important ways…
*
Web Accessibility and Older People - not as straightforward as you think?
www.slideshare.net/sloandr/web-accessibility-and-older-people-not-as-straighforward-as-you-think
From P. Fairweather’s “How Older and Younger Adults Differ in their Approach to Problem Solving on a
Complex Website”

48. Different circumstances: economics
v UX work is relatively high paid; the “older adult”
population runs the gamut
v You are still working; most over-60s are retired
v Over-60s have more real-estate wealth, on average*
v People in their early 60s have “… a median total
wealth almost nine times as high” as people in their
early 30s.† (emphasis added)
v Will your future self have similar assets?
* As of 2012, according to the UK Office for National Statistics
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_313608.pdf
† As of March 2020, according to the UK Office for National Statistics
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/distributionofindividualtotalwealthbycharacteristicingreatbritain/april2018tomarch2020

49. Different circumstances: world conditions
v The world is changing in
many ways
v We don’t know how that will
affect the outlook and
experiences that your future
self will bring to the use of
technology
v Stay tuned!

50. Can you give examples of
how this affects guidelines?

51. A few examples taken from research
Guideline “for older adults”
v Provide larger targets
v Provide clear confirmation that a
target has been clicked/tapped
v Do not require older adults to
double-click/double-tap
v Use alt text for all images
v Avoid scrollbars
Basis (my educated guess)
Accessibility (general)
Usability
Older adults – Knowledge,
Dexterity
Accessibility (general)
Older adults – Knowledge
Taken and adapted from S. Kurniawan and P. Zaphiris, “Research-Derived Web Design Guidelines for Older People”
www.researchgate.net/publication/221652473_Research-derived_web_design_guidelines_for_older_people

52. So what do we absolutely
need to remember?

53. Key take-aways
v We all age differently
v Many impairments that older adults experience
also affect younger people, just less commonly
v Some impairments are uniquely due
to ageing bodies/brains
v Some guidelines are based on the ageing process;
others come from findings obtained because the
research participants were older at the time

54. If you remember nothing else…
v Guidelines based on ageing bodies (including brains)
will probably continue to be valid
– but keep an eye out for new information!
v Guidelines based on what people know and don’t
know are very likely to become obsolete
v You will always have to consider what tech is
familiar to older adults, but the specifics will change

55. The eternal question
When you see a guideline based on research
with older people, ask yourself this:
Is it because they’re older?
– or –
is it because they’re older NOW?
?

56. When a guideline is
based on older adults’
knowledge, validate it!

57. Validate, validate, validate!
Before you use
a knowledge-focused guideline,
verify that it’s valid and relevant
to the older adults
in your audience

58. Finally, some resources
Designing for Older Adults: Usability Considerations for Real Users (Finn & Johnson)
www.slideshare.net/KateFinn3/designing-for-older-adults-usability-considerations-for-real-users
Web Accessibility and Older People - not as straightforward as you think? (Sloan)
www.slideshare.net/sloandr/web-accessibility-and-older-people-not-as-straighforward-as-you-think
Designing User Interfaces for Older Adults: Myth Busters (Finn)
www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/10/designing-user-interfaces-for-older-adults-myth-busters.php
Age and web access: the next generation (Hanson)
dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1535658
Designing inclusive ICT products for older users: taking into account the technology generation effect (Lim)
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09544820903317001
Designing Web Sites for Older Adults: A Review of Recent Research (Redish & Chisnell)
assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/research/oww/AARP-LitReview2004.pdf
Designing Web Sites for Older Adults: Expert Review of Usability
for Older Adults at 50 Web Sites (Chisnell & Redish)
assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/research/oww/AARP-50Sites.pdf 2004-2005 and still useful

59. THANK YOU
@nexer_digital