The stereotypical product image for seniors entails bigger buttons, bigger text, and bigger screens. When it comes to designing for the elderly, it is not necessary to dumb down technologies. In this talk, I'm taking a different perspective on aging: Rather than focusing on their disabilities such as loss of vision/hearing/memory, let's look into the rich dimensions of their lives, their surrounding communities, and discuss how design can contribute in this domain. Let's move beyond usability, and introduce “Design for Aging” as a process of innovation. This presentation includes approach on design research, and my thoughts behind the emerging trends on aging. I've also included some discovery on the aging populations' inspirations, aspirations, values and challenges to their daily lives. This talk plans to introduce you to "Inclusive Design", inspire you to take on different lenses, and offer plenty of design opportunities in the domain of aging.

1. Design
for
aging
Carina Ngai
Product Design Lead
Inflection, LLC
Redwood City, CA
@caweena #aging15
March 11h
, 2013

2. About me:
Product Design Lead / Inflection
Design Futurist / Samsung
Experience Designer / Adobe

3. The aging population in the US is
large, growing, with a lot of
influence socially and economically.
People are now living longer;
nearly 80% of the population now
lives past the age of 65.

5. How society sees them

6. Who they really are

7. Who they really are

8. Who they really are

9. Who they really are

10. One-third of all surgeons
are over the age of 55
American College of Surgeons 2010
Who they really are

12. Aging is not to
be generalized

13. Current landscape for
the senior products

14. 1. Safe Surveillance
Aging in place / Assisted living
Smart sensors GE-Intel QuietCare® Sonamba
SilverPlus
BAM Labs Smart Bed

15. 2. Memory Aids
Glow Caps MedCenter Pill reminder Chumby

16. 3. S.O.S

17. 4. Oversimplified Tech.
PDA/Tablet Concept Babysits Old People
[Concepts]

18. 5. Assistive tech.

19. Color palette for seniors?

20. Grandmother
84 years old

21. Grandmother
84 years old
Walking cane

22. Grandmother
84 years old
Walking cane

23. Grandmother
84 years old
Walking cane
Trekking poles

25. “I am not Old”
ms. Green, 64

26. Design for our
future-selves

27. Design
exercise
Design for your future-self
Examine our perception in future
aspirations, desires & technology.
Outcome:
1. There are not much changes that
we perceive in ourselves in the fu-
ture.
2. People generally have a positive
outlook in their lives.
3. Future desired items are a
manifestation of how we view the
current world.
- Draw a picture of yourself now on the left and when you’re 65 on the right.
- List 20 items of desire of needs when you’re 65

28. No/Little
Decline
Moderate
Decline
Decline
EMOTION
SEMANTIC SELECTIVE
EPISODIC DIVIDED
PROCEDURAL
VISION
AUDIO
TOUCH
PROSPECTIVE
SHORT-TERM
MEMORY
MOVEMENT
CONTROL
LONG-TERM MEMORY
PERCEPTION COGNITION ACTION
ATTENTION
Capabilities Changes

29. TOP 5 Insight in
Design for Aging

30. Insight #1
Look at the peripherals

31. Emotional
Well-being
Physical
well-being
Personal
community
Professional
community
Religious
group
Doctors
Nurses
Spouse
Care
GivierPostman
Gardener
Friends
Community
Center
Interest
GroupOther family
members
Grandchildrens
Salon
Stylists
Specialists
Neighbors
Support system
for seniors

32. Insight #2
Rise of Sandwich Generations

33. Open-Faced Sandwich

34. Open-Faced Sandwich
Sandwich

35. Open-Faced Sandwich
Sandwich
Club Sandwich

36. Open-Faced Sandwich
Sandwich
Club Sandwich
Multi-generational
Families

37. Adoption of Technology is
driven significantly by access

38. Insight #3
Aging in place is more
than accessibility

39. aka. Independent Living
Smart Homes
sensors, architecture, layout
home safety, accessibility

40. =

41. =
Lifetime of cherished objects
Memories
Daily rituals

42. = Identity

44. senors
ramp

45. Design for the
spaces in between

46. Design for the
spaces in between

47. Design for the
spaces in between

48. Design for the
spaces in between

49. Design for the
spaces in between

50. COMMUNITY

51. Insight #4
Interdependence,
not just independence

52. COMMUNITY
Socialize, entertain, friends

53. Croquet club in Tokyo, Japan A weekend meet up with friends, Portugal
Social Interactions

54. Insight #5
Wellness ≠ Health

55. Wellness is a state of complete
physical, mental, and social
well-being, and not merely
the absence of disease.
More than
mHealth, monitoring, tracking...

56. Dimensions of Wellness
physical, spiritual, emotional,
environmental, occupational,
social, intellectual

57. 1. companionship
2. establishing a routine
3. exercise
4. less stress
5. getting out
6. making new friends
7. expose to new interest
8. security
9. feel needed
10. sense of purpose
Top Ten
Wellness
Goals
for Seniors

59. Can we translate this into....
Architecture?

60. Can we translate this into....
Healthcare ?

61. Can we translate this into....
Mobile
Technology?

62. Mobile Phone

63. Bigger Buttons
Bigger Screens

64. Bigger Buttons
Bigger Screens
Emotional
Social

66. Aging is not a disability.

67. It’s a part of normal life cycle that
we will all experience.

68. See beyond the cliché...

69. to design for PEOPLE,
not users...

70. to build a future that you would
like to be in as well.

71. Special thanks to: Inspired by:
Dhana Dhanasarnsombat
Samsung UXCA
USA
Sean Donahue
Research Centered Design,
USA

72. THANK YOU. Carina Ngai
@caweena #aging15