Imagine you’re 75. Your body and your perception changed, and that’s something that will affect us all. So… you would expect that our environments consider the needs of people in later life. In reality, most digital services, at least, are primarily designed by and for younger people.
But how can we design for human aging?
A good start is an inclusive mindset and empathetic decisions. However, to transform intentions into actions, we need practical methods.
Earlier this year, I carried out qualitative research to discover how aging influences the experience of digital products. This research forms the basis for the following 5 methods for a truly inclusive design process – offside buzzwords:
• in-person testing
• behavioral archetypes based on a behavioral design approach
• accessibility guidelines tailored to age-related limitations
• product interaction map to align product demands with user capabilities
• and a critical attitude toward interface conventions
To create inclusive digital products, we designers need to consider age-related changes throughout the design process. And we need practical methods to avoid ageism and to design without bias.
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Alina Karl
Alina Karl recently graduated after interning at frog Design and collaborating with them for her Bachelor thesis “Human Aging in Experience Design.” For her thesis, Karl developed a convergent product that enables people in later life to store actions they frequently use on physical NFC tags. It supports seniors to solve difficulties in their daily lives independently by assessing the tags in situations they experience age-related limitations. This project has been honored with the “Universal Design Expert Award” by Universal Design Institute during an Exhibition at Munich Creative Business Week.
Recently she joined Frolic Studio, a small studio in Amsterdam, focussing on interconnected products for social and environmental impact. Those two experiences helped Karl to gain more profound knowledge of Inclusive Design.
