Smart but not adapted enough : heuristic evaluation of smartphone launchers with an adapted interface and assistive technologies for older adults

Petrovčič, Andraž (author), Rogelj, Ajda (author), Dolničar, Vesna (author)

Launchers have been suggested as a viable means of increasing the uptake of smartphones and assistive technologies (ATs) among older adults. Launchers can be designed to ease older adults' use of smartphones by addressing perceptual, cognitive, and motoric changes that might hinder their ability to operate smartphones. However, little research currently exists that analyses the characteristics and assesses the usability of launchers with an adapted user interface (UI) for older adults. Thus, we present a study in which we compared a set of commercialised smartphone launchers with an adapted UI and ATs for older adults by means of heuristic evaluation. The results showed that launchers generally integrate only basic features (i.e., calls, texting, contacts) and only one AT (i.e., an SOS service). Although considerable variation exists between them in terms of overall usability, we also report the limited adequacy of launcher UIs in meeting older adults' needs and abilities. In particular, usability problems linked to content and perception were discovered that limit the older adults' capability for error recovery as well as visual, auditory, and haptic access to the information provided by the UI. Interestingly, launchers with a larger number of features and ATs were found to have, on average, less usability problems. This indicates that reducing the number of features is not necessarily a feasible way to increase usability. Instead, more research-based development is needed, which should better consider recommendations for the age-friendly design of UIs on smartphones.

• Language: English
• Keywords: age-friendly design, assistive technology, heuristic evaluation, launcher
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Publication date: 17.10.2017
• Year: 2018
• Number of pages: Str. 123-136
• Numbering: Vol. 79
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-138830
• UDC: 004.5:621.395.721.5
• ISSN on article: 0747-5632
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.10.021
• COBISS.SI-ID: 35265885
• Publication date in RUL: 22.08.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Computers in human behavior
• Shortened title: Comput. hum. behav.
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• ISSN: 0747-5632
• COBISS.SI-ID: 14588182