**Age Bias and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Methods**

Sandra Kogan (Master's Candidate)

# Position Paper

By the year 2025, the worldwide population of older adults, those \>65
years of age, will grow by a factor of three. Forecasts for the United
States project 58.6 million older adults by the year 2025, with the
greatest growth occurring among those \>75[^1]. These trends have
significant implications for researchers, designers and policy makers.
Given that the number of older adults in the population is rapidly
increasing, there is a strong need to identify strategies to enhance the
functional independence and autonomy of older adults[^2]. Older adults
of working age are either current computer users or will be learning to
use computers in the next several decades. Computer users and workers of
all ages will be required to constantly update their skills because of
new products and new releases being developed at a very fast pace [^3].

Many consumer products such as telephones, home appliances, electronics,
computer hardware and software are intended to be used by adults of all
ages in various contexts and environments. However, the design process
is such that products are not tested on all types of users. Resulting
products that are easy for the average 25 year old to use, are not easy
for the average 70 year old. If age-related differences are not taken
into account during the design process, the resulting products will
present unnecessary barriers to older adults who try to use them.

Applications that target the elderly aim to enhance mobility,
independence and social participation. Technology can play a major role
in achieving this goal if new products meet the requirements of the
aging population [^4]. Because the process of aging is modifiable by
environmental factors, it is important for designers and developers of
new technology to maximize the potential benefits. A more in-depth
understanding of the needs and aspirations of older adults can lead to
innovations and better design for all.

There is a need to sensitize people to the heterogeneity of the aging
process. Not all people age in the same way, or at the same time. As we
age, we undergo certain changes for better, and for worse. Aging is a
gradual biological process that occurs throughout the lifecycle. It is a
complex, continuous process and occurs differently in each individual
thereby rendering the group of 'older adults' more heterogeneous than
other age groups with respect to their characteristics[^5]. The process
of aging is not uniform and occurs at different times, to different
degrees in each person. There is great variability between individuals
with respect to the time, rate and degree of change for each
characteristic. It's important to note that illness is not an intrinsic
part of the aging process -- certain illnesses and diseases are more
prevalent among older adults, but the changes discussed here deal only
with normal aging.

The goals of my thesis project are to identify age-bias inherent in
various types of human-computer interaction (HCI) methodology, such as
task analysis, and propose a modification to the methods to render them
appropriate for both older and younger age groups (taking into account a
user's individual characteristics). Advances in technology make it
possible to accommodate a diverse group of users [^6], so the study of
individual differences in HCI must be considered because these
differences typically account for a large portion of the variance in
computer-based performance.

[^1]: Office of technology Assessment. Technology and aging in America,
    Washington D.C. 1985: US Government Printing Office.

[^2]: Czaja SJ, Guerrier JH, Nair S, Landauer TK. Computer communication
    as an aid to independence for older adults. Behaviour and
    Information technology. 1993;12(4):197-207.

[^3]: Kelley CL, Charness N. issues in training older adults to use
    computers. Behaviour and Information Technology. 1995;
    14(2):107-120.

[^4]: Brouwer-Janse MD, Suri JF, Yawitz M, de Vries G, Fozard JL,
    Coleman R. User interfaces for young and old. Interactions 1997;
    March+April: 34-46.

[^5]: Czaja SJ. Microcomputers and the elderly. In. M. Helander (Ed)
    Handbook of Human Computer Interaction. 1988: 581-598.

[^6]: Egan DE. Individual differences in Human Computer Interaction, in
    ME Helander (ed.) Handbook of Human Computer Interaction 1988.
    Amsterdam: North Holland pp:543-568.