Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Dependence on touch-screen devices is becoming unavoidable as the technology grows in ubiquity in commonly used devices such as smartphones, tablets, and ATMs. Unfortunately, when designing these devices, too little attention is paid to a large and growing portion of the population: older adults. Because many older adults find touch screens to be highly appealing and useful, it is important to strengthen the focus on the older user. Toward that end, this article synthesizes the relevant research to provide design guidelines on touch screens for the elderly. The guidelines include such considerations as gestures, element sizes, complexity, and feedback.

Keywords

human factors ergonomics usability product design computer systems designing for older adults accommodation for the aging interface design controls and displays tactile interface haptics design strategies

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Apple

Inc

. (2013). iOS human interface guidelines: User experience guidelines. Retrieved from https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/userexperience/conceptual/mobilehig/LayoutandAppearance.html

Astell

A. J.

Ellis

M. P.

Bernardi

Alm

Dye

Gowan

Campbell

(2010). Using a touch screen computer to support relationships between people with dementia and caregivers. Interacting With Computers, 22, 267–275. doi:10.1016/j.intcom.2010.03.003

Barnard

Bradley

M. D.

Hodgson

Lloyd

A. D.

(2013). Learning to use new technologies by older adults: Perceived difficulties, experimentation behaviour and usability. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1715–1724. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.006

Bradley

Langdon

Clarkson

P. J.

(2011). Older user errors in handheld touchscreen devices: To what extent is prediction possible? In Universal access in human–computer interaction (pp. 131–139). Berlin, Germany: Springer.

Caprani

O’Connor

N. E.

Gurrin

(2012). Touch screens for the older user. In Cheenin

F. A.

(Ed.), Assistive technologies (pp. 95–118). Retrieved from http://www.intechopen.com/books/assistive-technologies/touch-screens-for-the-older-user

Carsey Institute. (2010). Older Americans working more, retiring less (Issue Brief No. 16). Retrieved from http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB_Shattuck_Older_Workers.pdf

Chung

Kim

Lee

(2009). Usability evaluation of numeric entry tasks on keypad type and age. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 40, 97–105.

Darroch

Goodman

Brewster

Gray

(2005). The effect of age and font size on reading text on handheld computers. In Costabile

M. F.

Patemò

(Eds.), INTERACT 2005: Proceedings of the IFIP TC13 International Conference on Human–Computer Interaction (pp. 253–266). Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag.

Dickinson

Eisma

Gregor

(2011). The barriers that older novices encounter to computer use. Universal Access in the Information Society, 10, 261–266. doi:10.1007/s10209-010-0208-6

10.

Hurtienne

Stößel

Sturm

Maus

Rötting

Langdon

Clarkson

(2010). Physical gestures for abstract concepts: Inclusive design with primary metaphors. Interacting With Computers, 22, 475–484.

11.

Jin

Z. X.

Plocher

Kiff

(2007). Touch screen user interfaces for older adults: Button size and spacing. In Stephanidis

(Ed.), Universal access in human–computer interaction: Coping with diversity (pp. 933–941). Berlin, Germany: Springer.

12.

Laursen

Jensen

B. R.

Ratkevicius

(2001). Performance and muscle activity during computer mouse tasks in young and elderly adults. European Journal of Applied Psychology, 84, 329–336. doi:10.1007/s004210000367

13.

Lee

(2011). The state of the touch-screen panel market in 2011. Information Display, 27, 12–16.

14.

Lee

Zhai

(2009). The performance of touch screen soft buttons. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 309–318). New York, NY: Association for Computing Machinery.

15.

Madden

D. J.

(1983). Aging and distraction by highly familiar stimuli during visual search. Developmental Psychology, 19, 499–507. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.19.4.499

16.

Madden

D. J.

Gottlob

L. R.

(1997). Adult age differences in strategic and dynamic components of focusing visual attention. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition: A Journal on Normal and Dysfunctional Development, 4, 185–210.

17.

Murata

Iwase

(2005). Usability of touch-panel interfaces for older adults. Human Factors, 47, 767–776.

18.

National Association for the Visually Handicapped. (2006). NAVH standards and criteria for large print publications. Retrieved from http://www.sfgov2.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/mod/programmatic/NAVH06.pdf

19.

Naumann

A. B.

Wechsung

Hurtienne

(2010). Multimodal interaction: A suitable strategy for including older users? Interacting With Computers, 22, 465–474. doi:10.1016/j.intcom.2010.08.005

20.

Oberzaucher

Werner

Mairbock

H. P.

Beck

Panek

Hlauschek

Zagler

W. L.

(2009). A videophone prototype system evaluated by elderly users in the Living Lab Schwechat. In Holzinger

Miesenberger

(Eds.), HCI and usability for e-inclusion (pp. 345–352). Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag.

21.

Owsley

Burton-Danner

Jackson

G. R.

(2000). Aging and spatial localization during feature search. Gerontology, 46, 300–305.

22.

Piper

A. M.

Hollan

J. D.

(2013). Supporting medical communication for older patients with a shared touch-screen computer. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 82, e242–e250. doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.03.005

23.

Scialfa

C. T.

Kline

D. W.

Lyman

B. J.

(1987). Age differences in target identification as a function of retinal location and noise level: Examination of the useful field of view. Psychology and Aging, 2, 14–19.

24.

Sekuler

Ball

(1986). Visual localization: Age and practice. Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 3, 864–867.

25.

Siek

K. A.

(2008). Mobile design for older adults. In Lumsden

(Ed.), Handbook of research on user interface design and evaluation for mobile technology (pp. 624–634). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

26.

Smith

M. W.

Sharit

Czaja

S. J.

(1999). Aging, motor control, and the performance of computer mouse tasks. Human Factors, 41, 389–396.

27.

Statista. (2015). Touch-screen shipments worldwide 2012–2016. Retrieved December 8, 2015, from http://www.statista.com/statistics/259983/global-shipment-forecast-for-touch-screen-displays/

28.

United Nations Population Fund & HelpAge International. (2012). Ageing in the twenty-first century: A celebration and a challenge. New York, NY: United Nations Population Fund.

29.

Waloszek

(2000). Interaction design guide for touchscreen applications (experimental). Sapdesignguild.org. Retrieved from http://www.sapdesignguild.org/goodies/TSDesignGL/Index.htm

30.

Wright

Bartram

Rogers

Emslie

Evans

Wilson

Belt

(2000). Text entry on handheld computers by older users. Ergonomics, 43, 702–716. doi:10.1080/001401300404689

31.

Ziefle

Bay

(2005). How older adults meet complexity: Aging effects on the usability of different mobile phones. Behaviour & Information Technology, 24, 375–389.

Keeping in Touch

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References