Designing new interfaces for digital interactive television usable by older adults

The adoption of digital television (DTV) could be particularly attractive for older people if appropriately designed. Despite this, when new services and applications are introduced they tend to remain an overlooked and marginalised segment of the television broadcasting population. This paper explores a range of methodologies and interactive approaches designed to support older people who have difficulties in using current interface models for DTV. Following an extensive requirements gathering exercise, four different navigational layouts with a simplified remote control were tested and evaluated with older users to assess their ease of use. The results demonstrated expected difficulties in understanding some of the terminology and interactive concepts utilised in `traditional' DTV design. Aspects of the experimental layouts suggested promising new directions in the development of visualization and navigation met...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: CIE
• Authors: Mark Rice, Norman Alm
• Keywords: Applied Computing, CIE 2008, Digital Television, Older People, Television Broadcasting Population