heuristic evaluation of smartphone launchers with an adapted interface and assistive technologies for older adults
Andraž Petrovčič (Author), Ajda Rogelj (Author), Vesna Dolničar (Author)

Abstract

Launchers have been suggested as a viable means of increasing the uptake of smartphones and assistive technologies (ATs) among older adults. Launchers can be designed to ease older adults' use of smartphones by addressing perceptual, cognitive, and motoric changes that might hinder their ability to operate smartphones. However, little research currently exists that analyses the characteristics and assesses the usability of launchers with an adapted user interface (UI) for older adults. Thus, we present a study in which we compared a set of commercialised smartphone launchers with an adapted UI and ATs for older adults by means of heuristic evaluation. The results showed that launchers generally integrate only basic features (i.e., calls, texting, contacts) and only one AT (i.e., an SOS service). Although considerable variation exists between them in terms of overall usability, we also report the limited adequacy of launcher UIs in meeting older adults' needs and abilities. In particular, usability problems linked to content and perception were discovered that limit the older adults' capability for error recovery as well as visual, auditory, and haptic access to the information provided by the UI. Interestingly, launchers with a larger number of features and ATs were found to have, on average, less usability problems. This indicates that reducing the number of features is not necessarily a feasible way to increase usability. Instead, more research-based development is needed, which should better consider recommendations for the age-friendly design of UIs on smartphones.

Keywords

age-friendly design;assistive technology;heuristic evaluation;launcher;Informacijska tehnologija;Pametni telefoni;Uporabniški vmesniki;Starostniki;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: UL FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
UDC: 004.5:621.395.721.5
COBISS: 35265885 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 0747-5632
Views: 39
Downloads: 16
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Other data

Secondary language: English
Secondary keywords: Information technology;Smartphones;User interfaces (Computer systems);Older people;
Type (COBISS): Article
Pages: str. 123-136
Issue: ǂVol. ǂ79
Chronology: Feb. 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.10.021
ID: 16243735
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