ABSTRACT
In this paper, we describe why designers need to look beyond the twin aims of designing for the 'typical' user and designing "prostheses". Making accessible interfaces for older people is a unique but many-faceted challenge. Effective applications and interface design needs to address the dynamic diversity of the human species. We introduce a new design paradigm, Design for Dynamic Diversity, and suggest a methodology to assist its achievement, User Sensitive Inclusive Design.To support our argument for a new form of design we report experimentation, which indicates that older people have significantly different and dynamically changing needs. We also put forward initial solutions for Designing for Dynamic Diversity, where memory, vision and confidence provide the parameters for discussion, and illustrate the importance of User Sensitive Inclusive Design in establishing a framework for the operation of Design for Dynamic Diversity.
- Alm, N. (1994). "Ethical Issues in AAC research" in "Methodological Issues in Research in Augmentative and Alternative Communication" eds Brodin,J & Ajessibm E.B. (eds) Proc. Third ISAAC Research Symposium. Jonkoping, University Press, Sweden pp 98--104.Google Scholar
- Balandin, S. & Raghavendra, P (1999). "Challenging Oppression: Augmented Communicators' involvement in AAC Research" in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, new directions in research and practice" ed. Loncke, F.T., Clibbens,J., Arvidson, H.H. & Lloyd, L.L. Whurr, London.pp262--277.Google Scholar
- Beirmann, A.W. (1997). "More than Screen Deep -"Towards an Every-Citizen Interface to the National Information Infrastructure," Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington D.C. 1997. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Gregor, P & Newell, A.F. (1999) The application of computing technology to interpersonal communication at the University of Dundee's Department of Applied Computing, Technology and Disability, 10 (1999) pp 107--113.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Hypponen, H., (1999). The Handbook on Inclusive Design for Telematics Applications, Siltasaarenkatu 18A, 00531 Helsinki, Finland.Google Scholar
- ISO 13407:1999(E). Human-centred design processes for interactive systems, International Organisation for Standards.Google Scholar
- McGregor, A., (1995). A voice for the future. Proceedings of the European Conference on the Advancement of Rehabilitation Technology (ECART '95). 10--13 October 1995, Lisbon. Lisbon, Portugal: National Secretariat of Rehabilitation. pp 127--129.Google Scholar
- Newell, A.F., (1995), Extra-ordinary Human Computer Operation, in "Extra-ordinary Human-Computer Interactions" by A. D. N. Edwards (Ed.), Cambridge University Press 1995. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Newell, A.F. & Gregor, P., (1997). Human computer interfaces for people with disabilities, in Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction, Helander, M., Landauer, T.K. and Prabhu, P. (eds), Elsevier Science BV, (ISBN 0 444 81862 6) pp 813--824.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Newell, A.F., (1998). Assistive Technology Research and Technological Development. In Improving the Quality of Life for the European Citizen, eds Placencia Porrero, I, & Ballabio E. Assistive Technology Research Series, Vol 4, IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp xlvii--liii.Google Scholar
- Newell, A.F. & Cairns, A.Y., (1993). Designing for extra-ordinary users, Ergonomics in Design, Oct 1993, 10--16.Google Scholar
- Newell A.F. & Gregor P., (2000) "User Sensitive Inclusive Design - in search of a new paradigm, Proc A.C.M. Conference on Universal Usability, Washington, DC Nov. 2000, pp39--44. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Nielsen, J., Usability Engineering, (1993). London Academic Press. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Preece, J., (1994). A guide to usability - human factors in computing, Addison Wesley & Open University. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Shneiderman, B., (1992). Designing the user interface: strategies for effective human-computer interaction. Addison-Wesley Reading, Massachusetts 1992. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Sleeman, K.D., (1998). Disability's New Paradigm, Implications for Assistive Technology and Universal Design. In Improving the Quality of Life for the European Citizen, eds Placencia Porrero, I, & Ballabio E. Assistive Technology Research Series, Vol 4, IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp xx--xxiv.Google Scholar
- Stephanidis, C., (2001) User Interfaces for All. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. London.Google Scholar
- Websites focussed on Universal Design include: http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/ud/ud.html, http://www.stakes.fi/include http://www.trace.wisc.edu, http://www.w3.org/WAI.Google Scholar
- Zajicek M., Arnold A., (1999), The 'Technology Push' and The User Tailored Information Environment, 5th European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics, Workshop on 'User interfaces for all ', Dagstuhl, Germany.Google Scholar
- Zajicek M. & Hall, S., (2000), 'Solutions for elderly visually impaired people using the Internet', HCI 2000, Sunderland.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Zajicek, M, Morrissey, W., (2001), 'Spoken Message Length for Older Adults, Proc. INTERACT'2001, pp 789--790.Google Scholar
- Zajicek M., Morrissey W., (2001), 'Speech output for older visually impaired adults', Proc. IHM-HCI 2001.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Zajicek M., Wheatley B., Winstone-Partridge C., (1998), Improving the Performance of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry in the Thames Valley, Technical report no. CMS-TR-99-04, School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Czaja, S., Clark, C., Weber, R., Nachbar, D., 1990, Computer communication among older adults, Proc. Of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 33rd Annual Meeting, pp 146--148.Google ScholarCross Ref
Index Terms
- Designing for dynamic diversity: interfaces for older people
Recommendations
Designing for dynamic diversity: making accessible interfaces for older people
WUAUC'01: Proceedings of the 2001 EC/NSF workshop on Universal accessibility of ubiquitous computing: providing for the elderlyIn this paper, we describe why designers need to look beyond the twin aims of designing for the 'typical' user and designing "prostheses." Making accessible interfaces for older people is a unique but many faceted challenge. Effective applications and ...
Interface design for older adults
WUAUC'01: Proceedings of the 2001 EC/NSF workshop on Universal accessibility of ubiquitous computing: providing for the elderlyAs computers become available in more places and situations, particularly with increased use of the Web to disseminate information, it becomes increasingly necessary for older adults, and by this I mean people over 70, to gain access.This paper ...
Towards bridging the accessibility needs of people with disabilities and the ageing community
W4A '08: Proceedings of the 2008 international cross-disciplinary conference on Web accessibility (W4A)This communication paper introduces the "Web Accessibility Initiative: Ageing Education and Harmonisation" (WAI-AGE) project, a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) project. It is funded by the European Commission under its ...
Comments