Source: picture from Trends in Cell Phones.
Mobile interfaces are just like online interfaces…they are human-computer system interfaces.
Designing Online Experiences For Seniors: A Panel Discussion
Elizabeth Boehm, Principal Analyst, Forrester
Mike Paciello, Founder & Principal, The Paciello Group
Kath Straub, Principle, Usability.org
From the Forrester Customer Experience Forum: NYC Hyatt, June 22nd 2009.
NB: Please forgive the point-form-mode-of-expression here as you read my notes as they were ‘jotted on my computer’ during the panel…and which I completely forgot to publish during the conference!!! Too much was going on there at the same time honestly, and I did not want to miss anything! I would guess that our two experts’ insights and tips are still valuable a few weeks later…? 
What design practices are helping companies in developing interfaces valuable to senior users?
What characteristics differentiate seniors as users?
This is true of people less used with technology in general, not just seniors, they don’t trust themselves with identifying what is wrong or why it is wrong
Ex. small characters : young people would think if they would have wanted me to read it they wd have made it bigger
Older people: more cautious vs younger people more carefreeness and the expectations about what they should learn are different
For things as basic as instructions from manufacturers: like USB port (don’t know what it is) or instructions like “plug it into the system” but they only look at the screen and forget about the tower under the desk…
Older adults are more than happy to play videos vs to record/create them
Listening is useful enough for them and they don’t feel passive doing the listening
Connecting them with the rest of the world
Kinds of interactions which are important are interactions with family members on Facebook for instance
People like to engage with companies where people of their kind are engaged too: so use testimonies and other things to showcase the people who are really involved (social psychology language)
Ex: Jitterbug cell phone simplified cell phone targeting senior users
Kiosks and training center on the afternoons for banking services when they observed that older people were coming: hand holding experience to guide them through the basics
The banking teller kind of experience is still needed, still is the reference in their mind.
ROI from seniors: “You’ve helped me be more autonomous and now my brand connexion with you is very strong”
Conclusion
Read on the use of Wii fit in health care and seniors’ houses to understand what you need to target to reach out to seniors…for if you push the effort to make your technology invisible enough, seniors can and will adopt the technologies!
Je remercie la Chaire de commerce électronique RBC Groupe Financier pour son soutien financier pour la participation à cette conférence.
