CRC Press Designing for Older Adults: Case Studies, Methods, and Tools (Human Factors and Aging Series)

Designing for Older Adults: Case Studies, Methods, and Tools There are many products, tools, and technologies available that could provide support for older adults. However, their success requires that they are designed with older adults in mind by being aware of, and adhering to, design principles that recognize the needs, abilities, and preferences of diverse groups of older adults. Achieving good design is a process facilitated by seeing principles and guidelines in action. Design success requires understanding how to use the methods and tools available to evaluate initial ideas and prototypes. The goal of this book is to provide illustrative "case studies" of designing for older adults based on real design challenges faced by the researchers of the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) over the past two decades. These case studies exemplify the use of human factors tools and user-centered design principles to understand the needs of older adults, identify where existing designs failed older users, and examine the effectiveness of design changes to better accommodate the abilities and preferences of the large and growing aging population. Features Reviews important design considerations for older adults and presents a framework for design Provides a series of real-world case studies to ground design principles and guidelines Offers a unique set and broad array of design challenges, from the design of healthcare devices, to computer systems and apps, to transportation systems and robots Gives an overview of emerging technologies, their potential benefits to older adults, anticipated design considerations, and new and emerging approaches to evaluating design Covers these topics with designers in mind, providing the most up-to-date recommendations based on the scientific literature but in an accessible, easy-to-understand, non-technical manner About the Author Walter R. Boot Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Florida State University and director of the university’s Attention and Training Lab. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Visual Cognition and Human Performance in 2007. Walter is one of six principal investigators of the multi-disciplinary Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE), a long-standing and award winning National Institute on Aging funded center dedicated to ensuring that the benefits of technology can be realized by older adults. He is also Co-Director of the ENHANCE (Enhancing Neurocognitive Health, Abilities, Networks, & Community Engagement) Center, funded by the National Institute on Disabi Walter R. Boot Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Florida State University and director of the university’s Attention and Training Lab. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Visual Cognition and Human Performance in 2007. Walter is one of six principal investigators of the multi-disciplinary Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE), a long-standing and award winning National Institute on Aging funded center dedicated to ensuring that the benefits of technology can be realized by older adults. He is also Co-Director of the ENHANCE (Enhancing Neurocognitive Health, Abilities, Networks, & Community Engagement) Center, funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, with a focus on how technology can support older adults living with cognitive impairment. His research interests include how humans perform and learn to master complex tasks (especially tasks with safety-critical consequences), how age influences perceptual and cognitive abilities vital to the performance of these tasks, and how technological interventions can improve the well-being and cognitive functioning of older adults. He has published extensively on the topic