Design Patterns to Enhance Accessibility and Use of Social Applications for Older Adults

Authors

Keywords:

Accessibility, usability, elder, digital divide, digital inclusion, social interaction, social networks, interaction patterns

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a non-exhaustive set of 36 design patterns for interactive social applications used by older adults. This proposal represents a reliable starting point for designers/developers to easily incorporate usability in interfaces for said technology promoting technology acceptance, use and adoption among older adults. The proposed patterns were based on previous efforts commonly presented as a design criteria and guidelines to describe usability issues in this kind of interfaces, reinforcing those alternatives by specifying related usability issues and providing solutions in a pattern-fashion useful for designers/developers. Pertinence of the patterns was analyzed through a usability study implementing «heuristic evaluation» technique (frequently used in Human-Computer Interaction to obtain users’ perception on a particular design). The study was conducted from two perspectives: the vantage point from experts, and the perception of a social group of older adults. The analysis revealed the proposed patterns are conducive to create well-designed interfaces able to provide a better user experience, encouraging a positive impact in the quality of life in older adults..

Published

2015-07-01

How to Cite

Luna, H., Mendoza, R., & Álvarez, F. J. (2015). Design Patterns to Enhance Accessibility and Use of Social Applications for Older Adults. Comunicar, 23(45), 85–94. Retrieved from https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/C45-2015-09