A design evaluation tool for older adults using domestic information processing appliances

Domestic information processing appliances include embedded digital technologies with which users interact. The designs of such appliances tend to be technology oriented and not well-suited to the needs of older adults. This is problematic because these appliances are essential in many activities of daily living and so affect the ability of people to live independently. This paper introduces a coding scheme for the analysis of users' interactions with such appliances and uses it to inform recommendations for the design of operational interfaces and associated instructional materials. The efficacy of the coding scheme as a design evaluation tool is illustrated by its application in a microwave oven case study. The coding scheme considers four aspects of users' interactions with this type of device: information processing activities, including the gathering and interpretation of information from the appliance, its user manual and cooking instructions from food packaging; interactions with the device's user interface; concurrent verbalisation supporting problem-solving; and impediments to the user's workflow.