If a website or app’s target audience includes older adults, certain aspects of its design become more important. This talk describes age-related factors that affect ability to use websites and apps, and presents design guidelines that reflect the capabilities, usage patterns, and preferences of older web users. Features: demographics of users of digital technologies, by age age-related factors affecting ability to use computers, mobile phones, tablets, and other digital technology, common design problems that decrease usability for older adults, design guidelines that can help designers avoid these common problems.

1. Finn & Johnson, Wiser Usability, UXPA 2016 1
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Designing for an Aging Popula1on:
Toward Universal Design
Jeff Johnson & Kate Finn
Wiser Usability, Inc.
info@wiserusability.com
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Overview
Source: hGp://staJc.ddmcdn.com/gif/blogs/ipad-typewriter-1.jpg

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Making the Case for Age-Friendly Design
Design for older adults, and you design for almost
everyone else. [Alan Newell]
PopulaJons with similar usability issues:
• Those with low vision or other impairments
• Those with low literacy
• Those with liGle technical experience
• Those with obsolete technical experience
• Second language learners
• Those with certain cogniJve impairments
4
0
10
20
30
40
50
Hearing Visual Motor
18–44
45–64
65–74
75+
The Case for Age-Friendly Design:
Many Adults, Not Just OAs, Have Hearing, Visual, or Motor Impairments
Age
Source: Summary Health StaJsJcs for U.S. Adults:
NaJonal Health Interview Survey, 2012
(Published 2014)
%
US adults with self-reported impairments, by age group.

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Individual VariaJon
Studies on aging are particularly subject to
confounding effects. [Reddy, 2012]
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Individual VariaJon
• Aging is a conJnuous process
• Change is not linear, or uniform
• Effects of aging are highly idiosyncraJc
• As group’s average age increases:
• Rates of change in abiliJes increase
• Ranges of abiliJes increase

4. Finn & Johnson, Wiser Usability, UXPA 2016 4
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Source: United NaJons, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
PopulaJon Division (2015). World PopulaJon Prospects: The 2015 Revision.
China
India
USA
Japan
Russia
Brazil
Indonesia
Germany
Italy
Pakistan
Countries with greatest 50+ popula1on, 2015 (in Millions)
Country
The Case for Age-Friendly Design:
Older Adults Comprise Growing #s in NaJons’ PopulaJons
100 200 300 400
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The Case for Age-Friendly Design:
Older Adults Comprise Growing % of NaJons’ PopulaJons
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
2015 2025 2035
% of Popula1on Aged 50+
Year
Least developed countries
Less developed regions
More developed regions
Source: United NaJons, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
PopulaJon Division (2015). World PopulaJon Prospects: The 2015 Revision.

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Source: PewInternet.org
% US PopulaJon Online, by Age Group
The Case for Age-Friendly Design
Increasingly, Older Adults Are Going Online
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Year
18-29
30-49
50-64
65+
Age
10
Tech Can Be TransformaJve…
A Mac laptop opened up the world to me, right
here, from my kitchen table. This is a blessing
because my mobility is now extremely limited
due to my physical disability.
Technology has helped me move 19
times in the past 9 years, taking
‘everything’ with me.
I can keep in touch with
people all over the world.
I feel so connected to so
much of the world: art,
music, nature, comedy,
humanity.
I can’t imagine going back to a
life without a computer.

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...but All Is Not Well
So much to remember!
I wish they would stop
changing things for no
good reason.
What happened to the
menus?
How can I make the font
bigger? I can’t see it!
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We Know How to Do Design Right…
So Why Don't We?
• Aging is not a “sexy” topic
• Designers tend to design for people like
themselves
• Engineers and designers osen have liGle
personal experience with OAs
• Designers tend to discount pure data on OAs
• OAs seldom included in design, evaluaJon
• Designers tend to over-esJmate OA tech ability

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Need for Universal Design
Won’t Just Fade Away
“Digital NaJves” vs. “Digital Immigrants”?
• Not all young adults are techno-whizzes.
• Technology will conJnue to develop.
• People have trouble with technology
they didn’t grow up with.
• Most of us will experience age-related
changes.
[Photo Source:
hGp://www.dreamsJme.com/photos-images/small-baby-boy-holding-
smartphone-bed-funny.html#details46206642]
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Age-Related Changes & CharacterisJcs
• Vision
• Motor Control
• Speech & Hearing
• CogniJon: AGenJon, Learning, Memory
• Knowledge
• Awtude & Affect
• Working with Older Adults

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Age-Related Changes: Vision
• Decreased ability to focus close
(farsightedness, or presbyopia)
• Lower sensiJvity to light
• Heightened sensiJvity to glare
• Reduced sensiJvity to color & contrast
• Lens yellowing
• Narrowed field of vision
• Slower adaptaJon to changes in lighJng
• Slower re-focusing with changes in distance
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Vision Changes
Normal
Presbyopia/
Farsightedness
Glare
SensiJvity
Lens
Yellowing

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Vision Changes
Normal Reduced Light SensiJvity
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Visual-CogniJve Deficits
• More difficulty reading moving text
• Less likely to detect small, subtle screen
elements.
• Slower on visual search tasks
• Increased sensiJvity to visual distracJons.

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Visual Search Slows with Age
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Visual Design Guidelines
1. Maximize legibility of essenJal text.
2. Use color judiciously.
3. Simplify.
4. Indicate any need for verJcal scrolling.
5. Avoid long lists of opJons.
6. Create (and use) a consistent graphical
language.
7. Provide text alternaJves for non-text content.
8. Make important content noJceable and easy to
scan

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Visual Design Guidelines
1. Maximize legibility of essenJal text.
• Plain, large, fonts: sans-serif, 14+ point (5mm)
• Mixed case
• StaJc text
• Ample line & paragraph spacing: 1.5 line spacing
• Plain background
• Easily enlargeable text
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Visual Design Guidelines:
Avoid Jny text; make resizing easy

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Visual Design Guidelines:
Avoid Jny text; make resizing easy; good spacing
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Visual Design Guidelines
2. Use color judiciously.
• Use color sparingly
• Be cauJous with blue vs. green, and with
blue and yellow close to each other
• If using color to mark links “visited” vs. “not”,
make sure users can disJnguish the colors
• Avoid using color as the sole indicator
• Avoid saturated colors
• Ensure high color contrast, e.g., raJo of 6.5+
• Provide easy way to adjust contrast

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Visual Design Guidelines:
Display text in high contrast, with plain background
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Visual Design Guidelines:
Display text in high contrast; make it easily enlargeable

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Visual Design Guidelines:
Display text in high contrast; make it easily enlargeable
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Visual Design Guidelines:
Display text in high contrast
Two Dots game app, Color Contrast opJons:
off on

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Visual Design Guidelines:
Display text in high contrast
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Visual Design Guidelines:
Display text with high contrast to background

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Visual Design Guidelines
3. Simplify.
• Help users focus
• Make sure graphics are relevant
• Don’t distract
• Use staJc content and images
• Keep space uncluGered
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Visual Design Guidelines:
Help users focus; make sure graphics are relevant.
Android
Voice-Recorder

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Age-Related Changes: Motor Control
• Reduced hand-eye coordinaJon
• Reduced fine-motor control
• Reduced strength, stamina
• Slower movements
• SJffness
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• Difficulty grasping/manipulaJng small objects
- Stylus or other poinJng devices; small controls
• Difficulty with conJnuous movements
- Click-drag, tap-drag, or tap-hold gestures
- Pinch, spread, double-tap gestures
• Problems execuJng coordinated gestures
• Increased variance in movements
- Decreased reliability in recogniJon of gestures
• Increase in hand tremor and in risk of unintenJonal
click or touch
- Accidental selecJon of object, navigaJon to locaJon, etc.
Impacts of Motor Control Changes

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Motor Control:
Drawing a Spiral with Hand Tremor
Neurological DiagnosJc Test
A: Spiral drawn by person with tremor
B: Spiral drawn by person without tremor
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Motor Control:
Struggling to Select “Kenya” from Pull-Right Menus

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Motor Control:
Road Scholar Old vs. New Menus
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Motor Control Guidelines
1. Promote accurate, precise selecJon of targets.
2. Keep input gestures simple.
3. Allow plenty of Jme to complete operaJons.
4. Make it obvious that target is selected.
5. Minimize need to use keyboard (especially on
small screens, mobile apps).
6. Avoid causing physical strain.
7. Provide in-app training (touchscreen devices).

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Motor Control Guidelines
1. Promote accurate, precise selecJon of targets.
• Make click & tap targets big
• Text link’s clickable area includes graphical parts
• Make swipe targets larger than tap targets
• Provide blank space around clickable targets
• Place tap targets in center or boGom of screen
• Place horizontal swipe targets near screen boGom;
and verJcal swipe targets on right side
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Motor Control Guidelines:
Sizes of click and tap targets
Desktop/laptop devices: click targets should
accept clicks in an area at least 11mm
diagonally.
Touch-screen devices: tap targets should be 16.5
mm diagonally (11.7mm square)

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Motor Control Guidelines: Make click-targets
large; make controls accept clicks anywhere
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Motor Control Guidelines: Make click-targets
large; make controls accept clicks anywhere

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2. Keep input gestures simple.
• Don’t require double-click
• No drag
• Avoid mulJ-level menus, especially with narrow
paths
• Menus should stay open long enough for people
with low motor skills
• Avoid mulJ-finger gestures
Motor Control Guidelines
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Age-Related Changes: Speech & Hearing
Speech:
• Slower rate of speech
• Reduced arJculaJon
Hearing - harder to:
• Filter out background sounds
• Localize sounds
• Understand fast speech
• Hear low volume sounds
• Detect high-pitched sounds

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Everyone:
8 kHz
Under 20:
16 kHz
Under 50:
12 kHz
Speech & Hearing
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Speech & Hearing Guidelines
1. Make audible signals in a range most people
can hear.
2. Minimize background noise.
3. Convey important info in mulJple ways.
4. Make speech output natural sounding.
5. Allow users to adjust device output.
6. Provide speech-to-text capability.

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Speech & Hearing Guidelines
1. Make audible signals in a range most people
can hear.
• Use alerts, tones in 500-1000 Hz range
• Use lower frequency voices
• Set default volume “loud enough” to be heard by
OAs
• Avoid short chirps/beeps (to help localizaJon)
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Speech & Hearing Guidelines
2. Minimize background noise: Avoid presenJng
sounds unrelated to user’s task

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Speech & Hearing Guidelines
3. Convey important info in mulJple ways.
• Add capJons, ALT text to images
• Add cc, transcripts to videos
• Use video to supplement text,
not replace it
• Provide alert signals in
mulJple forms
• Provide text-to-speech funcJon
[Source:
hGp://www.3playmedia.com/how-it-works/how-
to-guides/capJons-and-subJtles-with-vimeo
50
Age-Related Changes:
CogniJon: AGenJon, Learning, Memory
• Reduced short-term memory/aGenJon span
- Difficulty keeping track of task status
- Harder to concentrate; more distracJble
• Longer learning Jmes; more repeJJon required
• Less generalizaJon between situaJons
• More difficulty retrieving words
• Reduced ability to mulJ-task
• More suscepJble to change blindness
• More easily overwhelmed

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CogniJon: AGenJon, Learning, Memory
“At this point…I would call them. This is so overwhelming!...Help!”
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CogniJon: AGenJon, Learning, Memory
Change and InaGenJonal Blindness

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CogniJve Guidelines:
AGenJon, Learning, Memory
1. Design for conceptual & visual simplicity.
2. Help users maintain focus.
3. Use terms consistently.
4. Help users with input.
5. Simplify navigaJon structures.
6. Clearly indicate operaJon’s status & progress.
7. Avoid burdening users’ memory.
8. Help users avoid & recover from errors.
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CogniJve Guidelines
1. Design for conceptual & visual simplicity.
• Minimize sJmuli
• Minimize decoraJon
2. Help users maintain focus.
• Present one task at a Jme
• Eliminate distracJons
• Show current task

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CogniJve Guidelines:
Focus AGenJon on Important Info & Calls to AcJon
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CogniJve Guidelines:
Focus AGenJon on Important Info & Calls to AcJon

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CogniJve Guidelines:
Focus AGenJon on Important Info & Calls to AcJon
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Knowledge Differences
• Unfamiliar with digital tech jargon & icons
• Don’t know control gestures
• AnJquated mental models
• Greater domain knowledge
• Skills
• Vocabulary

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Knowledge Guidelines
1. Clearly indicate current locaJon in app or website
2. Use vocabulary familiar to your audience
3. Don’t assume users have a correct mental model
4. Help users predict what buGons/links do, and where
they go
5. Use wriJng style that is concise, plain, and familiar to
users
6. Follow standards and convenJons
7. Minimize the negaJve impact on users of new
versions
8. Clearly label interacJve elements
60
Knowledge Guidelines:
Use vocabulary familiar to your audience.

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Knowledge Guidelines:
Use vocabulary familiar to your audience.
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Knowledge Guidelines:
Use vocabulary familiar to your audience.

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Knowledge Guidelines:
Use vocabulary familiar to your audience.
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Age-Related Changes: Awtude & Affect
• Less comfortable with technology
• More risk averse
- Strongly prefer familiar paths over efficiency
- Afraid of “breaking something”
- Tend to read everything on screen before acJng
- Afraid of embarrassment
• Osen get frustrated, give up
• Tendency to assign blame (to self or app)
• Reluctance to give personal info

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FrustraJon: “It’s extremely frustraJng. I
didn’t grow up with computers in my life.”
66
FrustraJon (wants to quit):
“I would screw this.”

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Awtude & Affect Guidelines
1. Be flexible in how users can enter, save, and
view data
2. Inspire trust
3. Make design appealing to all, including older
adults
4. Provide easy access to info users will want
5. Facilitate easy privacy, security, and safety
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Awtude & Affect Guidelines
1. Be flexible in how users can enter, save, and
view data.
• Make data entry fields “smart”
• Allow users to save and return to forms
• Give users sense of control over input methods

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Awtude & Affect:
Be flexible in how users can enter, save, and view data
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Awtude & Affect:
Be flexible in how users can enter, save, and view data

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Awtude & Affect:
Be flexible in how users can enter, save, and view data
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Awtude & Affect Guidelines
2. Inspire trust.
• Request only necessary info
• Make it easy to disJnguish content from ads

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Awtude & Affect Guidelines:
Request only necessary info
Online donaJon via
credit card or Paypal
should not require
address, phone #
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Awtude & Affect Guidelines:
Make it easy to disJnguish content from adverJsing

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Working with Older Adults Guidelines
1. Refer to recent resources for ideas about:
• including OAs in parJcipatory design
• adapJng study protocols to include OAs
• recruitment, retenJon, compensaJon
2. Be sensiJve in communicaJons:
• Avoid both tech jargon and ElderSpeak
• Make wriGen and oral material accessible
• Be respec}ul, paJent, supporJve, grateful
3. ConducJng sessions:
• Make sure meeJng site is easy to access and comfortable
• Minimize distracJons
• Keep sessions short, or build in breaks
• Allow extra Jme for everything
76
Summary
• % and # of OAs are increasing globally
• Age-related characterisJcs can contribute to
many usability issues
• Usability issues can exclude people from benefits
of today’s digital culture
• Other populaJons face similar usability issues
and exclusions
• Designing interfaces with, and for, OAs can
improve usability for everyone
• Recent research idenJfies design guidelines.

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Top RecommendaJons
• Legibility
• Visual Simplicity
• Conceptual Simplicity
• Consistency
• Salience
• Redundancy
• Support
78
Top References (of over 400!)
• Hawthorn (2006) Designing Effec>ve Interfaces for Older Users
• Fisk et al (2009) Designing for Older Adults
• Pak & McLaughlin (2011) Designing Displays for Older Adults
• Newell (2011) Design and the Digital Divide
• Leung (2009) Improving Mobile Device Apps for Older Adults
• Leitão & Silva (2012) PaGerns for Mobile UIs for Older Adults
• Pernice et al (2013) Senior Ci>zens on the Web
• Chisnell et al (2006) New Heuris>cs for Understanding Older
Adults as Web Users

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Thank you!!
Johnson & Finn:
Designing for an Aging World* *(Final Title TBA)
Morgan Kaufmann, early 2017
Contact:
info@wiserusability.com
408.806.8451