Netbox: Product Software

When the NetBox is switched on, pressing "Menu" will enable the user to access the NetBox main menu. This will override the signal received from their standard television reception. The software allows the user to select one of three options from the main menu by pressing the corresponding number on their remote control keypad:

1. Surf the web
2. View your email
3. Chat and socialise

Alternatively, the user can press the star button, which provides a short cut to their stored web "favourites" or the speech bubble, which provides a short cut to email and chat. Each menu screen provides a consistent look and feel to aid familiarity and usability.

Surf the web

The NetBox user may surf the web by either entering the full web address / URL of a website and selecting "Go", entering keywords into the NetBox search engine and selecting "Search" or by selecting "Go to Favourites" which will let them access their list of stored/bookmarked favourite websites. They may also select "Back" to return to the previous screen / main menu.

The user enters text into the text fields by using their remote control keypad, moves between text fields and on-screen buttons by using their 4-way directional arrow navigational buttons, and makes a selection by pressing "select" on their keypad.

Information (Directgov: State Pensions and Benefits)

The Netbox product will contain innovative software that enables the user to define and customise the way in which web content is displayed. By way of a simple options menu, the elderly user will be able to easily switch between the original design of the website, a set of default design templates or their own user-defined layout design. The options menu will also allow the user to store their preferred layout design so that this is remembered for each and every website that is viewed, even when the Netbox has been turned off for a considerable amount of time.

The usability benefits, of this user-defined approach to web content presentation, are as follows:

• Consistent layout and presentation of content
• Uniform font sizes, colours and styles
• Ability to change colour schemes and text size to suit needs of the user (RNIB Web Access Centre – FAQs)
• Easily identifiable web links across all pages and sites
• Assists in ensuring websites are accessible to blind and disabled users (Disability Discrimination Act)

Further examples

Special Interest (MSc HCI 2007 Blog)

Information, Support & Advice (Age Concern: Age Discrimination)

Information, Support & Advice (Help The Aged: Elder Abuse)

News (MSN News & Weather)

View your email

The user is required to enter their email address and password in order to view their emails (e.g. norman85@netbox.com). As before, the user uses their navigation buttons and select button to move around the on-screen options (or by pressing the corresponding numerical option on their keypad, e.g. 1, 2 or 3).

Each screen is clearly laid out and intentionally simple. The NetBox does not allow users to send attachments but does enable them to select an existing contact from their email address book (should any be stored).

Chat and socialise

The first time a user enters chat they will be presented with a screen asking them to 'enter chat name'. Using the number buttons on the remote remote control, they will type the name they wish to be known by (this can be changed at a later date if necessary). Whatever they type will automatically appear in the 'Name?' box/field. The buttons work like a mobile phone: pressing '1' once will enter 'a'; twice will enter 'b', and three times will enter 'c'. The characters are therefore selected by using the appropriate number buttons. If a mistake is made, the user can press '*' to delete. This will delete one character per depression of '*'.Once a name has been entered, simply pressing 'Select' on the remote control (see diagram) will enter this as the user name. If the name is not available, 'Name already taken by another Netbox user - Please choose another name' will be displayed. Once the user has chosen a valid name, they will be asked to provide a password ('enter password'). They do so by using the keys on the remote control, followed by 'select'. The password will appear as they type and they will be instructed to 'Choose something that you can remember'.The user then navigates to 'send' using the arrow keys, and pressing 'select' will be greeted with the message 'Thank you for logging-in to Chat'.

Using Chat

The user is presented with a screen that has a large main 'window', a smaller 'compose' window below this, and 3 options (along the bottom of the screen):

• Users
• Rooms
• Exit to Main Menu

The Main Window

This is where messages appear. Entering text into the smaller window/field (see below)followed by 'send' will result in it being displayed in this main window. Any comment that is made will be preceeded by the user's name. For example: 'Mark Smith Says: Hello everyone, I'm new here. Can anyone tell me what they like about Netbox?' To post a message, the user must use the smaller 'compose' window located below the main window.

The Compose Window

This is where messages are composed. To navigate here a user must utilise the arrow buttons on the remote (although by default, this is already highlighted).As with other windows/boxes/icons, the 'compose' window will be highlighted in blue when it is selected. To type a message, the user utilises the method outlined earlier. Navigating to 'send' via the arrow buttons, followed by depression of 'select will send the message, thereby displaying it in the main window. Any responses to messages will be displayed in the main window.

Users

Using the arrow keys to highlight 'users', followed by 'Select' will provide a list of people/users currently using Netbox chat.Pressing the up and down arrows on the remote control will highlight an individual user. To chat to a highlighted user, the user must press the large circular 'Select' button on the remote, located between the arrow buttons. This will in turn highlight the 'compose' window from where a message can be typed (via the method outlined above). To send the message, the user must navigate to 'Send' using the arrow buttons on the remote. The message will then appear in the main window (which is now acting as a private window between the two users). If any mistakes are made while typing, the '*' key can be used to delete any text. To exit chat, navigate to 'Exit to Main Menu' via the arrow keys on the remote, followed by 'Select' (once the icon is highlighted). This will return you to Netbox's main menu.

Rooms

Using the arrow keys to highlight 'Rooms', followed by 'Select' will display a list of rooms.To enter a room, the arrow buttons are used to highlight the room. The remote button 'Select' is then pressed in order to enter the room. Room names relate to particular topics. Individual rooms function in the same way as the main chat screen.

Exit to Main Menu

A user navigates to here by using the arrow keys. Pressing 'Select' will then exit to the main Netbox menu.

Netbox: Hardware Prototype

The basic features of netbox are to be able to access the internet and perform most of the tasks that a standard pc can whilst connected. This will include web browsing, email, download files, video messaging, voip, etc. However, the basic user may only wish to browse web sites or use email, and so we need to provide a hardware design that caters to the basic user. When designing the hardware, several considerations must be made.

• A non-threatening design - the hardware does not have a multitude of sockets or ports that will intimidate the user.


• Is it easy to set up?


• Is it easy to use?


• What additional features will be used, e.g. USB ports, memory card readers, webcam, etc.


• Where will the additional features be placed?

We want the basic netbox to be as plain looking as possible, to provide an unintimidating user experience. We feel it is important to keep the front of the box with just the essential features, i.e. power button, and anything else hidden out of sight. However, additional features need to be readily accessed, so we decided to put these features on the front of the box, but hidden by a flap.

In order to provide easy setup, we have reduced the number of cables needed to a bare minimum. The essential cables will be a power supply and a television/monitor connector. We have decided to make the netbox connection to a phone line wireless. This means that the user will connect an additional modem directly to their phone socket and this will talk wirelessly to the netbox unit. This should mean that netbox is easier to setup overall. Another consideration is the cables, especially in terms of size, shape and colour. The cables need to be easy to connect and so each cable should therefore have a unique colour and shape, and also be of a reasonable size to allow someone with reduced mobility/sight to use.

Netbox should be plug and play, i.e. once it is connected and switched on it takes the user directly to the browser and they can go from there. There should be no maintainence issues, e.g. anti-virus software, etc, so we decided that each netbox will come with a fixed amount of server storage space, as opposed to having an in-built hard drive. This will provide a worry free user experience.

The additional features we decided on were usb ports, so external devices can be connected. We also wanted memory card readers, as a lot of users will have digital camera's, which they may want to send pictures and such via email. These facilities will be placed on the front of the box to enable easy access for the user. We wanted only the device connectors to be located at the back, so once it is connected, it will not need to be moved. We wanted to build in a webcam into the box itself, however, this means that the box will have to be put in a prominent position in order to talk into the camera. This will probably be impractical, as most people will probablt store the box under their television, near the floor somewhere. We have therefore decide to bundle a webcam as a separate unit within the netbox package.

The initial prototype is therefore shown below:

Netbox : Product Summary

Netbox is a set-top-box that brings the internet into the home, without the need for a personal computer. Aimed at the older generation who may have limited experience with the internet and/or personal computers, Netbox is a portal that, by using its own unique software, presents webpages in a standardised, intuitive format. For those who may wish to view content in its originally-intended format, this can be done so at the push of a button. Loaded with easy-to-use features, the Netbox packs them all into a neat, compact unit. Anticipated core features include:

• Internet displayed on TV


• Chat and Email facilities


• Switch between conventional display or intuitive, user-friendly interface (achieved by means of proprietary software)


• Includes unique, patented remote control geared toward intuitive usability


• Easy-to-navigate menu


• Gateway to social network


• In-built telescopic web-cam


• Server-based memory/Flash memory/Hard Drive (yet to be finalised)


• Memory card reader


• USB extension ports

What is it like to be old ?

When designing a product for people over sixty, it is important that to have a clear understanding of some key aspects of their lives. It is my opinion that following aspects are too general and should be taken into account when designing any product for this age group.

1 - Health and Physical capabilities
Inevitable consequence of getting old is the deterioration of health and physical capabilities. Although it might sound trivial, this is one factor that a product designer cannot afford to overlook. This factor is particularly important because it directly concerns with user's interaction with the product. eg: Lack of hearing might limit the use of an alarm clock design for older people unless product designer taken it to consideration.

2 - Finance
Income of older people varies but in general it is somewhat limited. So there is no point in building a product that the targeted group can't afford. In fact there is a trade-off between the price and the robustness of the product. If sufficient resources are not used to ensure that the product is well built and robust, it will be prone to break often, which is once again not financially friendly to old folks.

3 - Attitude
Old people are usually quite conservative and are reluctant to introduce changes into their lives. This is mainly to do with the fact that as people get older they don't want to make an effort to learn new things, in their eyes it is a waste of time. They are more interested in leading a peaceful and simple life.
So when designing a product one needs to tackle this challenge. In my opinion it can be dealt with two approaches. Product should make a significant difference to the lives of the older people. The difference must be made obvious to the customer. On the other hand the product should have an extremely user friendly interface, so the old people can learn to use it without much of an effort.

4 - Social Background
Final issue we need to consider is the social background. People from different backgrounds have different levels of understanding and need of technology. For example a retired engineer might be able to fix electronic equipment by himself whereas a retired cleaner may need to hire an electrician to fix things for her. Also people have different social practices. For example some older people likes socializing with their families, some are quite happy to lead lonely lives.
I am not suggesting product designers must become elitists. My point is, designer should have a clear idea who he wants to target. Old people (60+) simply is not one unique domain, it is divided into many subsets and social background is one way of identifying these different subsets.

Persona vs Product, The new chicken & egg?

We all are familiar with the riddle of chicken and egg. With so much contradictory information flying around, I wonder which one should come first, persona or the idea of a product ?
Persona is an arch typical character build in order to guide the designing of the product. In my opinion creating a persona is the logical thing to do because it is not realistic to use feed back from real users for every step of the process. Life style facts varies hugely from one person to another, so it is impossible to design a product that satisfy the needs of each and every individual. When creating a persona we try to identify the most generalized characteristics from a group of people.
However this does not mean we should create a random persona without having a clue about the product. Of course, back in the day so-called "inventors" might have blindly observed human lives with the hope of an eureka moment. But in today's fast moving world, with limited resources available one cannot afford to waste time in search of such eureka moments. Therefore it is more productive if the product-designer could first define an area (of human lives) that he wants to concentrate on.
For example, with our project, we started by deciding who we want to target with our product: People over sixty. This was followed by a primary brainstorming - session identifying possible products. At this stage we started creating persona, incorporating different aspects of older people's lives. Then more refined products were identified with the guidance of the persona created. Next these persona needs to be refined to exaggerate the particular aspects that are more crucial for our product.(You can follow the progress of our project from other entries)
My point is that the idea of having a persona followed by a product design or vice versa is neither productive nor pragmatic. Instead these two processes should be parallel and they should complement each other.

Persona 4: Maureen Smith (75)

Name: Maureen Smith
Age: 75
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: White British
Marital Status: Widowed
Children: Two Sons, Two Daughters
Location: Manchester
Occupation: Retired Nurse/Part-Time Home-Help
Hobbies: Photography, Watching Television

"I've never used the interweb before. I think that kind of thing is for the younger generation. It's all very confusing..."

Background

Maureen is a 75-year-old retired nurse. Since the death of her husband several years ago she has lived alone in a terraced house which is her own. She is close to her immediate family and regularly visits them during the daytime. Despite her age, she remains fiercly independent and enjoys new challenges.

In the latter stage of her career she had ascended to a senior level and helped coordinate the patient care performed by other members of health care teams, such as physical therapists, medical practitioners, social workers, and dietitians. Consequently, she is a very outgoing person and socialises easily. This was instrumental in her obtaining a part-time voluntary position as a home-help for local 'elderly' residents, some of whom are now close friends.

Typical Day

A typical day for her would involve performing daily chores until about 11am, after which she visits one of her granddaughters who has recently given birth. From the hours of 2-6 she acts as a home-help to less-mobile elderly people in the community. Recently, both to pursue a personal interest and exapand her social life, she has enrolled on a photography course at night school. Once the course commences, this will occupy her time between 7-9 every Tuesday and Thursday. Every night she either receives phone-calls from members of her family who, despite her independence, worry that she may become frail and forgetful in her old age.

Computer Proficiency

Has never used a home computer.

Attitude to Internet

Unsure of what the internet actually is. Thinks the technology is for younger people but wouldn't mind hearing more about why it might be of use.

Attitude to Technology

Is comfortable using general household appliances but sometimes gets confused with all the buttons on her TV remote. She tends to use 2 remote controls when using SKY: one for the volume on her TV, and the other to change channel. She thinks that "things should be more easy to use".

Goals

Would like to learn how to use Netbox so that she could use the internet and a digital camera (she is planning on upgrading from a traditional film-based model).

Persona 3: Derek Wilkins (61)

Name: Derek Wilkins (61)
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: White British
Marital Status: Married to Beryl
Children: Two sons, one daughter, two grandchildren
Location: Reading
Occupation: Librarian
Income: £1100 per month
Hobbies: Woodworking, Walking, Reading, Gardening

Background:

Derek lives in a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in the town of Reading. He owns the house outright and lives a comfortable life, taking 2-3 holidays abroad per year, owns two cars, and has an extensive library at home.
Derek has a fairly negative outlook on things despite living fairly comfortable. He is some what of a hypochondriac and tends to worry a lot about his health. He is thinking of retiring from his job, or going part-time as he is finding it increasingly tiring. He would also like to spend more time at home, to work on his latest woodwork project, which is an ornate set of bookshelves for his office at home. He would also like to spend more time with his grandchildren and he is thinking of buying a caravan in the new forest so that his family can holiday together.

Typical Day:

Derek gets up at about 7 o'clock so that he can be ready to leave the house for work at 8.15. He arrives in work at about 8.30. He usually takes his lunch at 12.30 and takes a walk around the local shops to get a bit of exercise. He finishes work at 5pm, and when he arrives home usually potters around in the garden, or works on his woodwork project in his shed. After eating, he usually checks his email and watches some tv.

Computer Proficiency

Derek recently acquired his own computer after his son upgraded his and donated his old computer to his father. As he uses a computer as part of his job, he is acustomed to the basics of using a computer. He uses the computer mainly to research topics of interest on the internet, and emailing his family, in particular, his grandchildren which he enjoys a lot. His wife has also started to use the computer and enjoys playing solitaire and looking for holidays on the internet. He also enjoys using the computer with his grandchildren and is amazed by how easy they do things on it. Derek finds that he can only use the computer for short periods of time as it gives him eye strain.

Attitude to Internet

Derek is very untrusting of the internet. He refuses to use it to do banking or purchase goods, because he is afraid of cyber criminals stealing his details. His pc also became infected with a virus recently and so this adds to his worry of internet use.

Attitude to Technology

Derek is ok with new technology. He usually seeks his grandchildrens advice with new purchases. He has a number of 'gadgets', such as a digital radio, dvd recorder and a digital camera. He also enjoys watching tv and has subscribed to sky television. He is comfortable using the additional features sky provides, such as setting reminders and anything to do with the red button.

Goals

Derek would like to use the internet more but is not really interested in researching anything to do with computers. His next computer project is to get a web camera so he can communicate with his family over the internet. He would also like to start using the internet to make purchases if he could be sure that no-one will steal his details.

Persona 2: Rebbecca Green (68)

Like the gadget my daughter bought me for my phone, I think some things are just too complicated for me. The instructions don't help either...

Full Name: Rebbecca Green
Age: Sixty Eight
Ethnicity: Afro Caribbean
Marital Status: Divorced
Children: Two Daughters
Occupation: Retired cleaner
Income: £ 950 per month

Background

Rebbecca lives in a council flat in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham. Couple of years ago she started to wear glasses and lately her hearing's become somewhat weak. Also for years she takes medication for arthritis.Both of her daughters are married, one lives in New Castle and the other in London. Busy with successful careers they only visit Rebbecca once a month. Rebbecca has three grandchildren one aged twelve and the other two below the age of ten. Like all grandmothers she loves her grandchildren very much. She complains that she doesn't get to see them very often.Sometimes she wishes that she could move back to Caribbean to live among her relatives of whom she's hardly seen since she moved to UK over thirty five years ago, but her daughters would not allow her (fearing for her health).

Typical Activities

Rebbecca loves playing bingo but she doesn't goto the local bingo parlour. She complains that the place is too noisy for an old lady like herself.She enjoys her trips to the market. These days that's the only opportunity she have to meet up with her old friends. They spend hours talking and catching up old times. Rebbecca also attend the church several times a week.

Computer Proficiency

Rebecca has never used a computer.She worries about the amount of time her grandchildren spend playing computer games. It doesn't help that she doesn't know anything about computers and games.

Attitude to Internet

She has heard of the internet via her grandchildren and general media. However, she doesn't understand what it actually is or how it may be of use to her.

Attitude to Technology

Rebbecca is not very keen on technology. Recently one of her daughters bought her a hands-free phone kit, but Rebbecca refused to accept it, claiming "It's too complicated for me." In fact that sums up her view of technology. She argues for sixty odd years she survived without having to depend on gadgets, she doesn't want to make any effort now to change her lifestyle. She thinks some of the technology is innately evil. However there's one technology she has happily integrated into her life: Television. She's very proud of brand new flat screen HD TV, and she has mastered the remote controller. In particular she's very fond of "pressing the red button".

Goals

She may be interested in using the internet if it could provide information similar to that obtained via "pressing the red button". Sometimes she is frustrated by the lack of video content available via BBCi, so she would be interested in learning how to view video via the internet (if it doesn't require too much learning). Additionally, she does not want to be made to feel stupid or patronised by using the technology

Persona 1: Norman Collier (85)

Name: Norman Collier
Age: 85
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: White British
Marital Status: Widower
Children: One Daughter, One Son
Location: Douglas, Isle of Man
Occupation: Retired School Teacher
Hobbies: Walking, theatre, natural history, model railways, pub quizzes, reading and chess

I don't want to have to learn how to use a computer at my age. I just want to be able to send e-mails and learn more about the subject of my favourite TV programmes by visiting their website, just as they say at the end of the show. It does frustrate me that I can't.

Background:

Norman lives alone in a 3 bedroom terraced house on the outskirts of Douglas, a property that has served as the family home for four generations. Widowed for 10 years, following the passing of his beloved wife Emily, Norman continues to enjoy a fulfilling social life, attending church every Sunday and remaining an active member of his community. As a retired school teacher, Norman worked in the same area in which he still lives, and is considered to be quite a character, remembered fondly by everyone he taught. He is consequently well known, liked and respected in his local area, having taught several generations of the same families before retiring at the age of 68.

Norman was born on the Island and has lived their his whole life except for a number of years during the Second World War where he served overseas with the Royal Navy, during which time he met Emily, a Lancashire girl, who was serving as a Wren. After the war Emily returned to the Island with Norman, where they married and moved in to the family home with his parents while looking for work and preparing for their new life together. Norman's parents passed away three years later, a year after the birth of their first grandchild, Elizabeth, and it is at this address where Norman and Emily lived and raised their family.

Description:
Following their retirement, and with a keen interest in geography and history, Norman and Emily travelled to several countries, mostly in western Europe, but also to the US a few times to visit Norman's sister, Barbara, who emigrated there after the war with her American husband. They also visited New Zealand twice to visit their daughter and her family, who moved there in 1980. Norman's son, Kenneth, and his wife still live on the Island, working in investment banking, while Kenneth's three daughters are currently studying at university in Bangor, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

Consequently, while still having many friends on the Island and a relatively active social life for his age, the majority of Norman's family lives overseas and he can occasionally feel quite isolated and lonely, despite talking to them fairly regularly on the phone.

For an 85 year old Norman is in very good health. He attributes this to living by the coast, where he enjoys the fresh sea breeze while walking along Douglas promenade each day for exercise, which he does with the use of a walking stick, although he admits it takes him much longer than it used to because of his osteoarthritis. He also still enjoys visiting Laxey Wheel and walking the surrounding countryside, but tires very easily and now visits far less often than he'd like. His eyesight is also very good, requiring glasses only to read, having had cataracts removed from both eyes during the last 5 years, which has improved his vision greatly. He admits that he is becoming slightly deaf but does not require any additional support for this.

He is very interested in natural history, Manx national heritage and has recently started researching his family tree. He enjoys visiting the theatre and has always had a keen interest in model railways and steam locomotion. He also used to contend in the TT Races in his youth, after the war, and still enjoys visiting the festival each year for its lively and welcoming atmosphere.

Norman likes to keep his mind active by attending quizzes at his local pub, over the odd pint of course, and doing crosswords. He enjoys playing chess, too, but plays less often now following the death of his childhood friend, Fergus, 3 years ago, with whom he enjoyed a regular game, as he now finds it difficult to find an opponent who matches his level and experience.

Computer Proficiency

Norman has never used a personal computer. Furthermore, he is not interested in learning how to do so "at [his] age"

Familiarity with Internet

Is aware of its existence and wishes he could visit some websites he often sees advertised on television (see below). However, he sees his lack of computer proficiency as a barrier.

Attitude to Technology

Norman owns a mobile phone and sends the occasional text message but only really uses it in an emergency. He is fascinated by technology but often finds it confusing and overwhelming. He likes to read and watch TV to relax but can only receive reception for 4 channels on the Island and does not have digital television. He is not a fan of soaps, hospital dramas, talent shows and reality TV and so finds there is little on television that he actually wants to watch, although he does like murder mysteries, documentaries and, in particular, Time Team.

Goals

He "would like to find out more" about his favourite programme by visiting the website, as he is invited to, but is frustrated that he does not have the means.

He would like to have access to the internet so that he may research his family tree further and send/receive emails to his sister, daughter and 5 grandchildren, but is not interested in learning how to use a computer "at [his] age".

User Interface: Scrollable display

I was just reading the following on BBC News:

Scrollable displays set to debut

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6345869.stm

"One of the first mobile devices with a scrollable screen will go on sale in Italy later this year. Billed as a PDA, electronic book and music player the Readius device has onboard a flexible LED screen that unrolls to 12.7cm (5in) across. Polymer Vision, the creators of the gadget, claims the high-contrast black and white screen is as readable as printed paper."


Quite impressive... and a possible idea for our product: could a (basic) "keyboard" scroll out from the product's remote control so it's an all-in-one input device?

Web Usability for Older Users

I've come across this interesting article on the "SitePoint" website, regarding a study into web usability for older users:

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/improve-usability-older-users

"We recently analysed and compared the results of 16 usability testing sessions. Eight of these sessions were conducted with older users (i.e. over the age of 65), and the other eight were run with younger users (under the age of 40).

The 40-minute 'talk-aloud' sessions involved our asking participants to find information on a range of government web sites. The results of this research provided insights into the ways older users differ from their younger counterparts when it comes to using the Internet."

The results of their findings are summarised as follows:

Assigning Blame

• Older users were more likely to assign blame when using the Internet.
• Three of the eight older participants blamed themselves for any difficulties they encountered ("I don't really know what I'm doing"; "It's probably my fault"; "This always happens to me").
• Four of the older users seemed to blame the site(s) for any difficulties they encountered ("I hate it when websites do this"; "Well, that's stupid"; "That doesn't make any sense").
• Younger users were far less likely to assign explicit blame for any difficulties they encountered, with just one blaming himself.

Emotional Reaction

• Older users were more likely to assign blame when using the Internet.
• Only two of the younger participants expressed themselves in comparably strong terms (both when talking negatively about aspects of a site).

Weaker Mental Models

• Six of the older participants regularly failed to scroll down a page (i.e. did not do so six or more times in a session). This failure often led these participants to miss information that was directly relevant to their task.
• None of the younger participants failed to scroll down a page six or more times in a session.
• This is likely to be attributable to older users not having fully internalised the concept that browser windows often requiring scrolling - a concept that's novel to computer technology.

Technical Language

• Older users were less likely to understand technical language. For instance, a moderator's request to "bring up the minimised window" was not understood by five older users (in comparison to its not being understood by only two of the younger users).
• Older users were at least twice as likely as younger users not to understand the phrases 'Homepage', 'URL' and 'Browser'.

Link Identification

• Older participants were more likely to click on elements of a page that weren't links (an average of 14 times per session, in comparison to the younger participants' average of five times per session).
• Older users reported preferring websites that changed the colour of their visited links, whereas only five of the younger participants considered the matter significant.

Aversion to Downloading

• Of the eight older participants, five expressed a strong aversion to downloading documents from the Internet because they were "worried about bugs [i.e. viruses] and things."
• None of the younger participants expressed such views.

Higher Incidence of 'Search' Usage

• Of the younger participant group, only two individuals used the available search functionality
• Six of the older participant group chose to make use of it. It is possible that this may have developed as a means of compensating for their apparent difficulties or discomfort with traditional browsing.
• It should be noted that all users expected a site to have a single 'Search' function that searched all of the site's content.

Slow Task-completion and Reading

• Older participants required over double the average time of our younger participants to complete a task.
• Three of the older participants also displayed a tendency to read all of the text on a page before being willing to decide on their next course of action. None of the younger participants did this.

Preference for 'Big and Simple' Design

• Seven of the older participants reported anything less than 12-point type as being too small to read comfortably - and even though all users agreed that being able to re-size the text on the screen would be a good idea, only one of them knew how to do so through the browser.

We should consider some of these issues when designing our product.

Pseudo Task Analysis: PC Internet Access

The above video is a recording of a 67 year-old male using a home computer for the first time. The individual knew of the internet and was given the task of gaining access via a typical Windows XP set-up (commencing from the desktop). Minimal instructions were given to the 'subject' with regard to how to operate the mouse and keyboard. If at any point the individual paused or seemed in difficulty, they were given a hint as to how they should proceed. A narrative for the above video sequence would be as follows:

1.The user initially struggles with the optical mouse, sometimes lifting it from the mouse mat. This resulted in the pointer rapidly traversing the screen.

2.They then proceed to explore the 'landscape', moving the pointer as they do so, simultaneously experimenting with the left and right mouse buttons (at this point I advised them to use the left button only).

3.Having noticed the word 'internet' on the Internet Explorer icon, they click on it, but only once. The application fails to open, so they repeat this process (clicking only once) several times.

4.Having failed to open the browser with the above process, they proceed to the Start menu. They explained to me afterward that they expected the internet browser to open when they either pointed or clicked here, and were quite daunted by the menu.

5. Nevertheless, they managed to correctly locate the Internet Explorer icon and subsequently open the browser (revealing Google as the homepage).

6.Here I gave a brief explanation about search engines and ended the recording.

Without question, the individual would not have completed the above task without having undertook some form of tuition, whether that be via a manual, a basic course in computing, or advice from another individual. Our aim is to eliminate the need for such tuition by providing a highly-intuitive product. Removal of the PC as a means of accessing the internet was identified as key to achieving this goal.

* Oh, and apologies for the poor video definition...

Problem Definition: Web Access for Older Users

Background

Figures released in 2002, from the 2001 national census, revealed that the UK has an ageing population and that for the first time ever more people aged over 60 are living in the UK than under the age of 16. Census officials have attributed these findings to improved health-care and living standards, which have seen the proportion of over 60s rise from 16% of the population to 21% in the past 50 years. In addition, it was reported that there were now 1.1 million people aged over 85 living in the UK, which is five times as many as reported in the 1951 survey.

However, despite these findings, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed that although a large number of over 65s are now using the Internet (so called "silver surfers"), just 17% of the over 65s have actually connected to the Internet and gone online (compared to 94% of 16 to 24-year-olds). This statistic is understandable when one considers research conducted by Age Concern, which revealed that a total of 44% of over-50s have no access to a computer at all.

Such findings are important when one also considers that older people tend to be the greatest users of public services and would undoubtedly benefit from the government's plan to ensure that all provision is available to the public electronically. Indeed, many of the UK's ageing population have mobility problems, difficulty in gaining access to sources of information, live alone or want to remain independent and involved. Access to electronic sources of public information would be of great benefit to them, as would the communicative and social opportunities presented by the web.

Problem

Over the last few years several initiatives have been launched to encourage the older generation to learn basic computing and web skills, which have included training sessions on how to use a computer, keyboard and mouse, surf the web and send e-mails. These have helped to promote the ways in which technology can be beneficial to their lifestyle, highlighting the advantages of online shopping, instant access to information and advice, fast global communication with friends and family and the ability to trace family histories.

Nevertheless, despite these developments, we believe several problems remain in encouraging, and enabling, older users to access the web:

• Expense
  For individuals with a low disposable income, especially those living on state pensions, the initial purchase of computer equipment may be too expensive when one considers that a basic multimedia PC package can cost in the region of £300. Furthermore, a monthly subscription of approximately £15 to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is required to gain access the Internet, which may be too costly for those who already have to budget very carefully on a limited income.
  
  

• Complexity
  Computers are notoriously difficult to use for the average individual, especially those who are embarking upon such technology for the first time or who have limited exposure. This problem transcends age groups, with computers often perplexing those in their 20s or 30s as much as those in their 50s. For older users the problem is magnified, with their own perception of the complexity of the technology being as much as a barrier to their learning and uptake as the hardware itself.
  Furthermore, before one can even start browsing the web, a variety of tasks need to be performed:
  
  

  • the purchased hardware needs to be set-up and configured, with several devices being interconnected by a multitude of cables
    
  • the user needs to learn how to perform (relatively) simple operations such finding and opening files, folders and applications, not to mention booting up the computer and shutting it down
    
  • the user needs to learn how to use a keyboard and operate a mouse
    
  • the user needs to choose a connection package that is suitable for them (such as choosing a speed and download limit despite having no idea how much they'll need) and then needs to select and subscribe to an ISP (which can often only be done online!)
    
  • the user needs to wait for their connection to be activated and follow any necessary installation instructions
    
  • a variety of software needs to be installed, such as operating system updates and anti-virus, spam and trojan software
    
  • the user needs to learn how to launch and use a web browser as well as ensuring they have all the necessary plug-ins (such as a PDF reader and Flash Player)
    
  
  

  Although several of these steps only have to be performed the once, and at the very start, they are time consuming and often frustrating enough to discourage, prevent and defeat many from continuing any further, especially when all they want to do is "get on the Internet".
  
  

• Inconsistency
  Once a user has finally managed to access their first website, and learned how to move forward and backward from one page to another, they will soon discover that rarely are two websites alike. Content is presented in different ways with different layouts, font styles and sizes differ from site to site, and poorly contrasted colour schemes can often render text unreadable. This lack of familiarity and consistency between websites could potentially complicate the web browsing experience for many older users and detract from the information and services they are trying to access.

Summary

Despite an ageing population and the potential benefits the web has to offer to those over the age of 65, there are many obstacles and barriers preventing them from gaining access to the Internet. We believe these can be largely attributed to expense, complexity and inconsistency. Although great advances in HCI have been achieved, many continue to find the modern computer too difficult to use. A user-centred design approach is therefore required to tackle these issues, narrowing the technological divide between generations, and providing the means through which older users can explore the web and benefit from the opportunities it presents.

User Interface Considerations

I was pondering a brief chat we'd had regarding user interfaces when I recalled a video I'd seen recently. It's Jeff Han, a research scientist at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, showcasing a Minority Report style interface (first video of the two above). Another similar video (the second) got me thinking about how we could incorporate games or physical exercise software into the system (perhaps akin to Nintendo Wii, as opposed to touch-screen?), as a way of encouraging the elderly to keep a good range of motion in their upper limbs. Might not be directly relevant to what we do but it sure blows the dust from the cerebrum!

Older people 'missing out' online

During my online search for video that would evidence the difficulty experienced by some older individuals with PCs, I stumbled upon the following article: "Older people 'missing out' online". The article presents findings of a survey by a consumer panel at telecoms regulator Ofcom, which examined the online access of marginalised groups. It supports the views we expressed during some of our discussions:that not only are the older generation missing out on the rich social networking opportunities provided by the web, they are also indirectly exluding themselves from access to government services as well as competitive deals on commercial goods. The research also found that more than two thirds of pensioners who are currently not connected said they would get online if they had the right support. Specifically, they said they wanted courses designed for, and run by, older people. Hmmm...now what if there were a device that removed the obstacle of the PC and presented the internet in an intuitive format via a television? I have a distinct sense of deja-vu. Back to my original thoughts: if my quest for video fails, I think I may be able to recruit a PC 'newbie', whose fumblings I could record for the sake of humanity. I'm sure they 'll be fine with that...

Why Personas?

Cooper (1999, p.123) defines personas as:
“A precise description of our user and what he wishes to accomplish.”
Calde, Goodwin & Reimann (2002) gives a slightly more detailed definition:
”User models, or personas, are fictional, detailed archetypical characters that represent distinct groupings"

For those who've either stumbled upon this page or been directed here via myself or another group member, you may be thinking "What's all this 'persona' stuff about?". References that provide comprehensive details of their origin and use can be found within the various resource links to the right of this page.

Basically, a persona is a model of a user that focuses on the individual’s goals when using a product/aretefact. The persona has a specific purpose in that it serves as a guide in the design process. It is an archetypal representation of real or potential users. The persona represents patterns of user behaviour, goals and motives, compiled in a fictional description of a single individual. It also contains fictional personal details, in order to make the persona appear more tangible and alive.

But why not use real people? It is not always practical or possible to consult with real users. However, the use of personas doesn't imply the elimination of real potential-users in the design process. Indeed, in our case personas will be utilised alongside real users.

The use of personas is therefore not a complete substitution for consulting with real users. Rather, it is a way of having a continuous presence of a set of users at our disposal,thereby providing a quick way of user-testing or brain-storming when access to real users could be problematic.

We have composed our personas so that they represent narratives that describe the flow of a typical day, as well as their skills, attitudes, environment, and goals. We have stated clear goals for what each person/persona wishes to achieve by using the product being designed.

Furthermore, we have:

• Restricted the number of personas required to a minimum, devising only those necessary to illustrate key goals and behavior patterns.


• Added life to the personas, but remembered that they are first-and-formeost design tools


• Restricted biographical detail by first focusing upon the workflow and behavior patterns, goals, environment, and attitudes of the personas (i.e. the information that is critical for design) — limited biographical detail was then added in order to provide the necessary personality


• Given each persona a few important goals that will help focus the design and reflect what the persona could gain from using a well-designed product


• Included experience goals for one persona, representing how the persona wants to feel when using a product (in this case, not feeling stupid or patronised). This represents people with considerable anxiety about technology.

Meeting 4: Personas Discussion

Today we met to discuss the personas we would create to assist us in the design and development of our product idea.

Having now decided to focus on the over 60s age group, the members of the group agreed to develop a persona each and post these to the blog in the next few days, ready for our next meeting scheduled for Monday 12th February.

It was decided that, ideally, each persona should represent a different age bracket (e.g. 60 - 65, 66 - 70, 70 - 80, and 80+) and have a different social, economic and cultural background to enable us to consider, and cater for, a broader section of society.

To assist us in this process, the team will be sourcing, reading and sharing articles on the concept of personas, in addition to those articles highlighted in recent HCI lectures:

• Perfecting Your Personas
• Personas: Practice and Theory
• Design basics

Furthermore, the team will begin researching, and developing, their persona through the observation and interviewing of elderly family members and those individuals to whom our product is aimed.

Meeting 3: Initial Product Ideas

The purpose of today's meeting was to reflect upon the issues and attributes identified in our last meeting and to use these as a basis for generating products ideas specific to each age group. Each member of the group brought several ideas to the meeting and these were discussed at length to highlight the potential benefits and drawbacks of each. The most popular ideas are presented below.

Over 60s

Several product ideas were discussed for the over 60s age group, most notably:

Dream Machine

Unfortunately, as time passes memories can fade and it was with this notion that the idea of a "Dream Machine" was conceived. Rather than actually recording the dreams of an individual while asleep, the Dream Machine would record a user's memory and experiences in full moving colour for their own enjoyment and reflection as well as for posterity for future generations, much like camcorders and digital video cameras are allowing us today. Although we were very fond of the 'Dream Machine' idea it was deemed too fantastical given its departure from current technology and so we decided not to explore this idea further.

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

A PDA that acts as a personal assistant, serving to remind an individual of appointments made, groceries to buy, birthdays, etc. This would allow those senior members of society, who may have problems remembering recent events, to record ideas, reminders, calendar events and to-do lists in a single, portable and accessible device.

The PDA idea was popular, with the notion that existing PDAs could be simplified by removing complex or redundant functions, such as pocket word processing and spreadsheet software, which are unlikely to be used by the target age group. Instead, the PDA would focus on providing a direct and user friendly means of managing and editing a variety of useful data.

This idea was a strong contender for our final product for this age group, although it was acknowledged that the small screen and input stylus may prove too problematic for those with a visual impairment or limited dexterity. Of course, were this product to be developed further during our project, these issues would be addressed.

Online Social Network

An online social network, similar to MySpace, aimed solely at the older generation. Although Friends Reunited offers the ability to search for old friends, to find out what they've been up to, and the possibility to be reacquainted, we liked the idea of providing a community environment in which the older members of society could make new friends and discuss life experiences with like-minded people.

We considered the fact that many older people can sometimes experience loneliness once their children and grandchildren have grown up and relocated to different cities or, indeed, countries. Mobility problems and financial limitations may also restrict their ability to venture out and meet new friends in different social settings. Furthermore, we considered that all individuals become considerably nostalgic the older they become but may often find it difficult to find others who share these same experiences and memories and with whom they can reminisce.

An online social network would enable older individuals to gain access to a rich community environment in which they can make new friends, provide support, record their memoirs, share stories, discuss memories of war time with others who were there, and possibly be re-connected with acquaintances from long ago. It could also allow them to chat and play online games, such as chess, backgammon, cards and Scrabble, with real opponents from their social network.

Although we liked this idea, we acknowledged that connection to the Internet would require a Personal Computer (PC) or Mac, and that the complicated nature of such devices would be an obstacle for many senior users, with learning how to use a computer (keyboard, mouse, operating system, etc), and the expense of such equipment, being the greatest hindrance to the success of this product idea.

It was with this discussion and realisation at the meeting that we conceived our most popular idea...

TV Internet "Set-Top" Box

The home computer has gained increased popularity over the past decade, arguably due to the falling price of technology, the increased availability of Broadband internet access, and the growing desire of individuals to explore the wealth of information and services available on the World Wide Web (WWW or 'web').

Although web access has been available on mobile devices for some time, including mobile phones, the majority of web users continue to access the internet via desktop computers at either home or work. However, despite this, many users of all ages find computers notoriously bewildering, complicated and difficult to use. For the over 60s the problem is exacerbated when on considers they may not gain the exposure to computers enjoyed by others and in many cases many never consider the need to own one, even if they could justify the expense, despite wanting access to the internet.

Learning to use a computer can be extremely daunting and challenging for the novice, with discovering how to operate basic input devices such as a keyboard and mouse proving almost as challenging as finding one's way around the multi-functional operating system and associated software packages. For many, especially those in the later stages of life, the prospect of learning how to use a computer can be a huge obstacle to gaining access to the internet, discouraging and even preventing them from exploring, and benefiting from, the opportunities presented by the web.

When one also considers the advent of On-demand TV, which will enable popular programmes to be delivered any time via the internet, and the fact that the web also offers a means of cheap/free global communication, older people risk being disadvantaged and left behind as the digital revolution continues.

Through identifying and discussing this problem in detail we conceived the idea of a "set-top box" that would operate as a dedicated, autonomous, internet portal, completely removing the need for a traditional "computer" to access the internet, allowing the elderly to watch On-demand TV, surf and communicate over the web using their standard television set and from the comfort of their own armchair by way of remote control.

As set-top boxes have become increasingly common place in the average home, with many living rooms having Sky/Cable/Freeview boxes, video recorders and DVD players, a dedicated “TV Internet Set-Top Box” would certainly not look out of place amongst existing entertainment devices. Furthermore, it would provide an affordable and simple means through which the over 60s could access the internet with the minimal amount off fuss using just a simple and familiar hand-held interface.

Meeting 2: Target Age Group Brainstorm

Having amassed a body of useful information from our first brainstorm, we reconvened to further evaluate the fruits of our labour. On this occasion our meeting wasn't a brainstorm per se, more a focussed discussion based on our original material and that which we had learned from relevant HCI research (see the links on the right of the page for more information).

Although armed with a plethora of potentially viable avenues to pursue, we decided to reconvene at a later date for a second brainstorming session, the aims being to finalise the choice of product and give more consideration to personas...