Designing for dynamic diversity: making accessible interfaces for older people

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we describe why designers need to look beyond the twin aims of designing for the 'typical' user and designing "prostheses." Making accessible interfaces for older people is a unique but many faceted challenge. Effective applications and interface design needs to address the dynamic diversity of the human species. We introduce a new design paradigm, Design for Dynamic Diversity, and a methodology to assist its achievement, User Sensitive Inclusive Design.

REFERENCES

• 1: Alm, N. (1994). "Ethical Issues in AAC research" in "Methodological Issues in Research in Augmentative and Alternative Communication" eds Brodin,J & Ajessibm E. B. (eds) Proc. Third ISAAC Research Symposium. Jonkoping, Universty Press, Sweden pp 98-104
• 2: Balandin, S. & Raghavendra, P (1999). " Challenging Oppression: Augmented Communicators' involvement in AAC Research" in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, new directions in research and practice" ed. Loncke, F. T., Clibbens,J., Arvidson, H. H. & Lloyd, L. L. Whurr, London.pp262-277
• 3: National Research Council , Natl Res Council, More than Screen Deep: Toward Every-Citizen Interface to the Nation's Information Infrastructure, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1997
• 4: Gregor, P & Newell, A. F. (1999) The application of computing technology to interpersonal communication at the University of Dundee's Department of Applied Computing, Technology and Disability, 10 (1999) pp 107-113
• 5: Hypponen, H., (1999). The Handbook on Inclusive Design for Telematics Applications, Siltasaarenkatu 18A, 00531 Helsinki, Finland.
• 6: ISO 13407:1999(E). Human-centred design processes for interactive systems, International Organisation for Standards.
• 7: McGregor, A., (1995). A voice for the future. Proceedings of the European Conference on the Advancement of Rehabilitation Technology (ECART '95). 10-13 October 1995, Lisbon. Lisbon, Portugal : National Secretariat of Rehabilitation. pp 127-129.
• 8: Alan F. Newell, Extra-ordinary human-computer interaction, Extra-ordinary human-computer interaction: interfaces for users with disabilities, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, 1995
• 9: Newell, A. F. & Gregor, P., (1997). Human computer interfaces for people with disabilities, in Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction, Helander, M., Landauer, T. K. and Prabhu, P. (eds), Elsevier Science BV, (ISBN 0 444 81862 6) pp 813-824.
• 10: Newell, A. F., (1998). Assistive Technology Research and Techological Development. In Improving the Quality of Life for the European Citizen, eds Placencia Porrero, I, & Ballabio E. Assistive Technology Research Series, Vol 4, IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp xlvii-liii.
• 11: Newell, A. F. & Cairns, A. Y., (1993). Designing for extraordinary users, Ergonomics in Design, Oct 1993, 10-16
• 12: Alan F. Newell , Peter Gregor, “User sensitive inclusive design”— in search of a new paradigm, Proceedings on the 2000 conference on Universal Usability, p.39-44, November 16-17, 2000, Arlington, Virginia, United States [doi>10.1145/355460.355470]
• 13: Jakob Nielsen, Usability Engineering, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc., San Francisco, CA, 1993
• 14: Jenny Preece , David Benyon , Open University, A Guide to Usability: Human Factors in Computing, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1993
• 15: Ben Shneiderman, Designing the user interface (2nd ed.): strategies for effective human-computer interaction, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1992
• 16: Sleeman, K. D., (1998). Disability's New Paradigm, Implications for Assistive Technology and Universal Design. In Improving the Quality of Life for the European Citizen, eds Placencia Porrero, I, & Ballabio E. Assistive Technology Research Series, Vol 4, IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp xx - xxiv.
• 17: Stephanidis, C., (2001) User Interfaces for All. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. London.
• 18: Websites focussed on Universal Design include: http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/ud/ud.html, http://www.stakes.fi/include http://www.trace.wisc.edu, http://www.w3.org/WAI.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.2 Social Issues
          Subjects: Assistive technologies for persons with disabilities

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Human Factors, Languages, Standardization, Verification

Keywords:
HCI, design for all, design for dynamic diversity, universal accessibility, usability engineering, user sensitive inclusive design