Design of mobile phones for older adults : An empirical analysis of design guidelines and checklists for feature phones and smartphones

Design guidelines and checklists are suggested as a useful tool in the development and evaluation of interface design of mobile phones for older adults. Given the intense evolution of mobile phone design, understanding how the design guidelines and checklists have taken into account the advances in mobile phone usability for older adults is important for their correct application and future development. Thus, this study explores the usability dimensions of mobile phone design for older adults and the related changes in terms of time and the type of device (feature phones vs. smartphones) based on an expert coding of the eight mobile phone design guidelines and checklists for older adults pu…

Digital Technologies and Generational Identity

INVESTIGATING OLDER ADULTS’ INTENTION TO USE SMARTPHONES WITH A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING APPROACH

Although the uptake of smartphones amongst older adults has recently taken off, the proportion of feature phone users in this population group is still prevailing. Thus, drawing on the senior technology acceptance model (STAM) and the diffusion of innovation theory (DIT) this study aimed to investigate what personal and contextual factors affect the adoption of smartphones among older adults. A telephone survey on a nation-wide representative sample of older adults aged 55+ (n = 1581) was conducted, measuring eight STAM and DIT factors (e.g., perceived usefulness, resistance to change, mobile phone anxiety) of behavioral intention to use smartphones. Using confirmatory factor analysis and s…