Design easier to use everyday ICTs (Everyday Information Communication Technologies)
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Guidance
Technology developers should be aware that the challenge of using everyday information communication technologiesCommonplace information communication technologies and their functions that most people would agree are widely available in homes and society. e.g. make a call from a mobile phone, receive a mobile phone call, games on a smartphone, internet banking on a tablet computer etc. (abbreviated to Everyday ICT or EICT) can be high for older adults, including some people with dementia. They should use inclusive design that addresses cognitive useability to reduce the level of challenge so that more people with cognitive impairments can use ICTs.
Explanation and Examples
A standardized questionnaire investigated how 35 people living with dementia and 34 people with no known cognitive impairment in Sweden perceived their ability to use 90 ETs on a 5 step rating scale. This data was analysed (in a Rasch model) to produce a challenge measure for each of the 31 EICTs, showing how difficult or easy they were to use. Landline telephone was the easiest EICTEveryday Information Communication Technologies Commonplace information communication technologies and their functions that most people would agree are widely available in homes and society. e.g. make a call from a mobile phone, receive a mobile phone call, games on a smartphone, internet banking on a tablet computer etc. to use. Scores for smartphone functions (make calls, receive calls, alarm, camera) were at the easier end of the challenge hierarchy and comparable to (or lower than) the challenge of the same functions on a push button mobile phone. These smartphone functions were less relevant to the group of people with dementia than the group without. Using a computer for the full range of functions (shopping, banking, email etc.) scored in the top half of the challenge of the hierarchy and using a tablet to search the web was most difficult. No other tablet functions (i.e. banking, email) could be scored since not enough people considered those functions relevant. Several smartphone functions (i.e. game, social media, transaction) could not be scored for the same reason
Themes
Dementia Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Older adults Usability
Target groups
Technology developersType of evidence
Cross sectional quantitative study and literature review
References
Wallcook, S., Nygård, L., Kottorp, A. & Malinowsky, C. (2019) The use of Everyday Information Communication Technologies in the lives of older adults living with and without dementia in Sweden. Assistive Technology, 33:6, 333-340. doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2019.1644685