Web usability and age Export

@proceedings{414, abstract = {We conducted two usability studies that included a total of 49 participants ranging in age from 20 to 82. The goal of Study 1 was to learn whether there were differences in how older adults interact with the Web and whether changes in text size would affect performance. Users completed tasks on a prototype employee/retiree benefits site using various text sizes. We learned that older users (55 years or older) had significantly more difficulty using the Web site than younger users. Text size did not significantly affect performance in any age group. In Study 2 new participants performed the same tasks on a version of the site that was redesigned to address the usability problems encountered by older users in Study 1. The goal was to learn whether we could redesign the prototype to improve the performance of older adults. Performance improved significantly for both older and younger users.}, author = {Chadwick-Dias, A. and Mcnulty, M. and Tullis, T.}, citeulike-article-id = {3300404}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=957212&coll=ACM&dl=ACM&CFID=35156362&CFTOKEN=26182718}, comment = {Strong usability features improve experience for all users. ---=note-separator=--- Other issues older users faced: - "older users had significant difficulty accessing information and often could not move beyond that page while attempting to complete a task" - Had trouble with even basic technical and user-interface concepts (minimize, close, etc.). Younger users had trouble with senior-specific terms, though (e.g. pension). - Spend more time reading text than younger users (take fewer risks) - Have trouble understanding their own location in the site and how they got there (and how to back up) - Problems managing horizontal scrolling ---=note-separator=--- "Older users spent more time reading information before clicking and even pondering the pros and cons of clicking before attempting to click a link. We have termed this behavior as ?cautious clicking.? (p. 33) -- Could we need to improve the way we inform people of error forgiveness and ---=note-separator=--- Older users prefer a larger text size, though this doesn't reflect actual changes in user performance. ---=note-separator=--- General Recommendations (p. 36): - "Use Action Word Links" - "Make Link Treatments Consistent \& Obvious" - "Make Icons and Bullets Links" (older users seem to see bullets as buttons). - Link redundantly [me] - "Use Scalable Fonts and Options to Increase Text Size" - "Use Concise Instructions" [and simple] - "Keep Terminology Simple" - "Use Simple Navigation and Provide Redundant Navigational Cues" - "Minimize Use of Secondary Windows" (relevance?) ---=note-separator=--- Clicking Non-Links: Many of the older users repeatedly clicked on items that were not links, including table headings, bullets, icons, and just plain text. Their strategy seemed to be to click on any item that seemed to meet their expectations for whatever target they were seeking. So, for example, when they were trying to change something in a retirement account, they often clicked on a table heading in the left-hand navigation that was termed ?Account Management? simply because they were trying to ?manage their account.? (p. 33) -- Could we need to simplify language and appearance so that links are aggressively separate and use strong, active verbs (and that strong active verbs are generally only used in links?). ---=note-separator=--- Additionally, older users are more likely to complete tasks unsuccessfully, increasing the need for error forgiveness.}, journal = {Proceedings of the 2003 conference on Universal usability}, keywords = {aging, idia612, usability}, number = {Vancouver, BC, Canada}, pages = {30--37}, posted-at = {2008-09-20 21:54:13}, priority = {2}, publisher = {ACM Press}, title = {Web usability and age}, url = {http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=957212&coll=ACM&dl=ACM&CFID=35156362&CFTOKEN=26182718} }

TY - CONF ID - 414 L3 - citeulike-article-id:3300404 N2 - We conducted two usability studies that included a total of 49 participants ranging in age from 20 to 82. The goal of Study 1 was to learn whether there were differences in how older adults interact with the Web and whether changes in text size would affect performance. Users completed tasks on a prototype employee/retiree benefits site using various text sizes. We learned that older users (55 years or older) had significantly more difficulty using the Web site than younger users. Text size did not significantly affect performance in any age group. In Study 2 new participants performed the same tasks on a version of the site that was redesigned to address the usability problems encountered by older users in Study 1. The goal was to learn whether we could redesign the prototype to improve the performance of older adults. Performance improved significantly for both older and younger users. IS - Vancouver, BC, Canada JF - Proceedings of the 2003 conference on Universal usability EP - 37 TI - Web usability and age PB - ACM Press SP - 30 KW - aging KW - idia612 KW - usability N1 - Strong usability features improve experience for all users. N1 - Other issues older users faced: - "older users had significant difficulty accessing information and often could not move beyond that page while attempting to complete a task" - Had trouble with even basic technical and user-interface concepts (minimize, close, etc.). Younger users had trouble with senior-specific terms, though (e.g. pension). - Spend more time reading text than younger users (take fewer risks) - Have trouble understanding their own location in the site and how they got there (and how to back up) - Problems managing horizontal scrolling N1 - "Older users spent more time reading information before clicking and even pondering the pros and cons of clicking before attempting to click a link. We have termed this behavior as ?cautious clicking.? (p. 33) -- Could we need to improve the way we inform people of error forgiveness and N1 - Older users prefer a larger text size, though this doesn't reflect actual changes in user performance. N1 - General Recommendations (p. 36): - "Use Action Word Links" - "Make Link Treatments Consistent & Obvious" - "Make Icons and Bullets Links" (older users seem to see bullets as buttons). - Link redundantly [me] - "Use Scalable Fonts and Options to Increase Text Size" - "Use Concise Instructions" [and simple] - "Keep Terminology Simple" - "Use Simple Navigation and Provide Redundant Navigational Cues" - "Minimize Use of Secondary Windows" (relevance?) N1 - Clicking Non-Links: Many of the older users repeatedly clicked on items that were not links, including table headings, bullets, icons, and just plain text. Their strategy seemed to be to click on any item that seemed to meet their expectations for whatever target they were seeking. So, for example, when they were trying to change something in a retirement account, they often clicked on a table heading in the left-hand navigation that was termed ?Account Management? simply because they were trying to ?manage their account.? (p. 33) -- Could we need to simplify language and appearance so that links are aggressively separate and use strong, active verbs (and that strong active verbs are generally only used in links?). N1 - Additionally, older users are more likely to complete tasks unsuccessfully, increasing the need for error forgiveness. AU - Chadwick-Dias, A AU - Mcnulty, M AU - Tullis, T UR - http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=957212&coll=ACM&dl=ACM&CFID=35156362&CFTOKEN=26182718 ER -