Older adults and information technology : Exploring the problems encountered by older adults in their use of information technology

Abstract: Designing for older adults often takes the form of design for declining sensory, motor orcognitive ability. Instead of starting from disabilities this thesis aims to explore theproblems older adults experience in relation to information technology from theperspective of the older adult. Through the use of situational analysis data from fiveinterviews and five observations were analysed in order to find what problems, if any,the older adults gave voice to. This resulted in a study focused on three such problems:the instructions older adults receive when learning how to use information technology,the role of the surrounding of the older adults, and the feelings those interactions create.The result is a mix of different ways to view ageing along with a proposition that showsone possible way to reconfigure this interplay between older adults, the surrounding andinformation technology in order to lessen the impact of those problems.