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Designing User Interfacesfor an Aging Population |
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Designing User Interfaces for an Aging Population: Towards Universal Design |
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Copyright |
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Contents |
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Foreword |
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Acknowledgments |
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AUTHORS’ INDIVIDUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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1 - Introduction |
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WHAT DOES “AN AGING WORLD” MEAN? |
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WHY SHOULD THE AGING OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION MATTER TO DESIGNERS? |
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DO WE REALLY NEED YET ANOTHER SET OF DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR YET ANOTHER SUBGROUP? |
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A distinguished heritage: other usability guidelines |
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What about accessibility guidelines? |
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What makes this book’s guidelines different? |
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MOVING FORWARD |
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ORGANIZATION OF BOOK |
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NOTE |
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Left-to-right languages |
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2 - Meet Some Older Adults |
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WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? |
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THE NAMING OF THINGS IS A DIFFICULT MATTER |
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SOMETIMES, AGE REALLY IS JUST A NUMBER |
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CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME OLDER ADULTS |
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Online versus offline |
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Digital device ownership |
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A generation gap, or something else? |
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Birth generations |
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Digital natives and digital immigrants |
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Technology generations |
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PERSONAS FOR THIS BOOK |
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Carolina |
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Hana |
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John |
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Monika |
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Stefano |
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Wong |
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3 - Vision |
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CHARACTERISTICS OF VISION IN OLDER ADULTS |
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Reduced visual acuity |
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Farsightedness |
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Narrowing of peripheral vision |
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DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS (AND OTHERS!) |
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3.1 Maximize legibility of essential text |
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3.2 Simplify: Remove unnecessary visual elements |
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3.3 Visual language: Create an effective graphical language and use it consistently |
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3.4 Use color judiciously |
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3.5 Position important content where users will start looking |
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3.6 Group related content visually |
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3.7 Take care when relying on scrolling |
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3.8 Provide text alternatives for nontext content |
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4 - Motor Control |
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MOTOR CONTROL IN OLDER ADULTS |
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Reduced manual dexterity (fine motor control) |
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Reduced hand–eye coordination |
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Slower movement |
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Increased variance in movements |
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Reduced strength and stamina |
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DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS (AND OTHERS!) |
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4.1a Make sure users can hit targets(desktop and laptop computers) |
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4.1b Make sure users can hit targets(touch-screen devices) |
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4.2a Keep input gestures simple(desktop and laptop computers) |
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4.2b Keep input gestures simple(touch-screen and touch pad) |
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4.3 Make it obvious when a target has been selected |
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4.4 Minimize the need to use the keyboard |
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4.5 For touch-screen devices, provide within-app training on gestures, if possible |
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4.6 Allow users plenty of time to complete operations |
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4.7 Avoid causing physical strain |
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5 - Hearing and Speech |
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AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN HEARING |
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Reduced ability to hear low-volume sounds |
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Reduced sensitivity to high-frequency sounds |
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Reduced ability to localize sounds |
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Reduced ability to filter out background noise |
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Reduced ability to understand fast speech |
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Poor hearing + other deficits = double trouble! |
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AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN SPEECH |
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Slower, more hesitant speech |
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Higher pitched voice |
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Reduced articulation |
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DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS (AND OTHERS!) |
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5.1 Ensure that audio output is audible |
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5.2 Minimize background noise |
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5.3 Convey important information in multiple ways |
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5.4 Allow users to adjust device output |
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5.5 Make speech output as normal as possible |
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5.6 Provide an alternative data entry method for people who cannot use the main one |
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6 - Cognition |
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COGNITION IN OLDER ADULTS |
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Reduced short-term (working) memory capacity |
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Less effective long-term memory storage and retrieval (i.e., learning) |
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Less generalization (skill transfer) between situations |
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Diminished ability to ignore distractions and focus attention |
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Reduced ability to multitask |
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Declining spatial memory and control of attention affect ability to navigate |
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Increased risk of cognitive “blindness” |
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Slower responses |
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Cognitive interactions |
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DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS (AND OTHERS!) |
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6.1 Design for simplicity |
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6.2 Help users maintain focus |
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6.3 Simplify navigation structure |
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6.4 Clearly indicate the progress and status of operations |
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6.5 Make it easy for users to return to aknown and “safe” starting place |
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6.6 Let users see where they are at a glance |
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6.7 Minimize the need for users to manage multiple windows |
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6.8 Avoid burdening users’ memory |
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6.9 Minimize impact of errors on users |
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6.10 Use terms consistently and avoid ambiguous terminology |
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6.11 Use strong words to label page elements |
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6.12 Use writing style that is concise, plain, and direct |
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6.13 Don’t rush users. Allow them plentyof time |
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6.14 Keep layout, navigation, and interactive elements consistent across pages andscreens |
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6.15 Design to support learning and retention |
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6.16 Help users with input |
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6.17 Provide on-screen help |
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6.18 Arrange information in order of its importance |
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7 - Knowledge |
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DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE GAP IN OLDER ADULTS |
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Lack of familiarity with digital technology terms and acronyms |
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Lack of familiarity with digital technology icons |
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Do not know control gestures |
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Outdated understanding… |
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…But more domain knowledge |
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DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS (AND OTHERS!) |
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7.1 Organize content to match users’ knowledge and understanding |
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7.2 Use vocabulary familiar to your audience |
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7.3 Don’t assume the user has a correct mental model of the device, app, or website |
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7.4 Help users predict what buttons do and where links go |
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7.5 Make instructions easy to understand |
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7.6 Minimize the negative impact on usersof new versions |
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7.7 Label interactive elements clearly |
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8 - Search |
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AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN KEYWORD SEARCH |
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Slower entry of search queries |
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More repeated searches |
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Less successful searches |
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But greater knowledge can compensate |
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DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS (AND OTHERS!) |
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8.1 Help users construct successful queries |
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8.2 Design search results to be friendlyto users |
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9 - Attitude |
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OLDER ADULTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD TECHNOLOGY USAGE |
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More risk-averse |
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Often get frustrated, give up |
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Tendency to assign blame (to self, app, or designers) |
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Tendency to not consider oneself “old” and to avoid products designed for “elderly” |
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DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT HELP OLDER ADULTS (AND OTHERS!) |
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9.1 Be flexible in how users can enter, save, and view data |
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9.2 Earn users’ trust |
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9.3 Make your design appeal to all your users, including older adults |
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9.4 Provide ready access to information users might want |
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10 - Working With Older Adults |
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OLDER ADULTS AS PARTICIPANTS IN DESIGN AND EVALUATION |
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Older adults may be unfamiliar with usability studies or participatory design |
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Recruiting older adults as participants |
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Older adults’ self-presentation to researchers |
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Older adults’ behavior during a design or usability evaluation session |
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Data collection and evaluation with older adults |
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GUIDELINES FOR WORKING WITH OLDER ADULTS |
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10.1 Choose a study design or protocol suited to the population |
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10.2 Identify potential design or usabilitystudy participants |
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10.3 Recruit and schedule participants |
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10.4 Plan the activity with extra attention to older-adult-centric details |
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10.5 Be especially mindful when conductingan activity with older adult participants |
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10.6 Have an ethical “exit strategy” for your older adult participants |
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11 - Case Studies |
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OVERVIEW |
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ECAALYX TV USER INTERFACE |
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Background |
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User Research Phase |
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Prototyping, Evaluation, and Redesign Phase |
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EXAMPLE 1. CARD SORTING TO CHOOSE APPROPRIATE ICONS |
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Formal usability evaluation |
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EXAMPLE 2. TESTING ABILITY TO ACCESS HIDDEN VIDEO CONTROL PANEL ON FULL SCREEN TV |
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Current status of eCAALYX |
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SMART COMPANION TO GOLIVEPHONE |
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Overview |
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The COLABORAR user network |
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Developing the basic metaphor |
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Evolution of the contacts application |
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Transformation of the Smart Companion look-and-feel |
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Current status |
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ASSISTANT, A SUPPORT TOOL FOR ELDERS USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION |
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Differences between ASSISTANT and other public transit systems |
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A phased and iterative approach |
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The web-based component |
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The Personal Navigation Device screen |
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SUBARU AUTO INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM |
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Really, just how bad is last place? |
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What does “intuitive” mean for Subaru buyers? |
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Groundbreaking methodology (at least, for the auto industry) |
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An iterative process with constant testing |
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Lessons learned from testing |
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Basing design decisions on consumer testing |
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Recommendations and key findings |
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Final remarks |
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VIRTUAL THIRD-AGE SIMULATOR FOR WEB ACCESSIBILITY |
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Introduction |
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Overview of simulator |
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Evaluation phase |
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12 - Summary and Conclusions |
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COMBINATIONS OF AGE DIFFERENCES |
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PARTING WORDS |
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Design and test with older adults |
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Review and discuss what you have learned |
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Appendix: Design Guidelines |
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VISION |
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MOTOR CONTROL |
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HEARING AND SPEECH |
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COGNITION |
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COGNITION—CONT’D |
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KNOWLEDGE |
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SEARCH |
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ATTITUDE |
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WORKING WITH OLDER ADULTS |
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References |
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Index |
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A |
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B |
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C |
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D |
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E |
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F |
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G |
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H |
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I |
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K |
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L |
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M |
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O |
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P |
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S |
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T |
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U |
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W |
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