Human-Computer Interaction with Older People: From Factors to Social Actors

PhD thesis by Sergio Sayago

Supervised by Prof. Josep Blat

(sergio dot sayago; josep dot blat) at upf dot edu

PhD in Computer Science and Digital Communication
Department of Information and Communication Technologies
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona (Spain)

Excellent Cum Laude

  Viva: 24-July-2009

1. Abstract

Population ageing and the role of computers in current society have created a need to strengthen HCI with older people. The current paradigm considers them as a set of factors and central to it is compensation for age-related changes in functional abilities. This dissertation proposes a different paradigm: from factors towards interaction based on older people as social actors. Within this paradigm, compensating for diminishing abilities is not the cornerstone of research. Instead, interaction and real-life use should be closely intertwined. Against this framework, the thesis presents the results of an extensive ethnographic work on e-mail and web use. Quantitative and mixed methods are employed in other aspects related to use and interaction which complement this major study. Other chapters include methodological contributions to real-life evaluation. The dissertation discusses strategies for approaching HCI with older people. Central to them is the concept of life experience and the need to turn to everyday interactions by combining classical ethnography with experimentations.

2. Resumen

El envejecimiento de la población y la importancia de las TIC en la sociedad actual han motivado la necesidad de integrar más a las personas mayores en la interacción persona-ordenador. La investigación actual se centra en factores individuales del envejecimiento y la aproximación más generalizada es diseñar interfaces considerando a las personas mayores como un conjunto de factores. Esta tesis doctoral plantea un paradigma diferente: de factores a personas mayores como actores. En este paradigma, prestar atención a los cambios en capacidades funcionales no es lo único que importa, sino que interacción y uso real deberían estar más fuertemente relacionados. En este marco, esta tesis presenta los resultados de un trabajo etnográfico extenso sobre el correo electrónico y la web. Métodos cuantitativos y mixtos se han utilizado en otros aspectos, que apoyan este estudio de campo. Otros capítulos presentan contribuciones metodológicas en evaluación en entornos reales. La tesis acaba proponiendo estrategias para investigar con personas mayores como actores sociales, insistiendo en considerar la experiencia de vida de la gente mayor y estudiar más el uso y las interacciones en entornos reales combinando etnografía y trabajo más experimental.

3. Dissertation

Full research report in PDF (10 Mb)

Introduction + Conclusions + References in PDF (300 Kb)

Presentation (PDF in English, PDF in Spanish)

From human factors to interaction based on regarding older people as social actors

Making things bigger is not always the most important thing for me. My reading glasses do wonders for reading text on the computer screen and my notes, which are very important because my hard disk does not work!

Three people sending an e-mail (left) and working together around a so-called Personal Computer (right). Individual interactions are rare, because socialisation and reducing isolation are much more important for older people

Technophobia? Productivity? Computers do not improve my well-being? There is a radically different view. Socialisation, having fun learning and using computers, furthering my learning and discovering what I can do with the technology. I feel good!

The mouse is a nightmare. Look at me, I sometimes need my two hands to fight this little beast. However, I want to use the same things as you and I am very capable of doing so!

The dissertation is a collection of the following papers:

4. Updates