Decreasing the digital divide: analysing the UI requirements of older Australians

This paper describes an intervention with older social housing tenants in a regional NSW town. The intervention used existing research-based guidelines on User Interface (UI) design, applied to the interfaces used for learning and using technology by older Australians, as part of the Digital Age Project. The study found that adhering to standard UI guidelines is particularly important when designing for novice computer users over 55 and that, although tablets overall were an attractive option, some participants found touch screens and pens problematic. Discussion of participants’ preferences in devices and input methods, as well as other observations of UI design effects recorded during the project, is included.