Mobile Technology and Ageing

ABSTRACT

Imagine this: A teenage boy tells his 65-year old father, “Waze your way here. You won’t get lost,” or “Share me your current location and I’ll get you a Grab.” To the young millennials these lines are common but to someone who hardly knows the difference between an Android and iOS – this would be alien! With the rising ageing population worldwide, Malaysia is expected to be an aged nation by 2035. Like it or not, smartphone usage has become a crucial mobile communication tool in the daily lives for Malaysian older adults. However, learning new interaction modes and adopting smartphones user interface may prove to be challenging for them. Making use of the Norman’s Execution/Evaluation Action Cycle (EEAC) framework, this study looks at the role of affordance of smartphone user interface and suggests what mobile apps designers need to incorporate in their apps in order to meet the expectations of older adults.

Status : On-Going
RESEARCHER
Wong Chui Yin
COLLABORATORS
  • Dr Rahimah Ibrahim, Malaysian Research Institute on Aging, University Putra Malaysia
  • Prof Tengku Aizan Hamid, Malaysian Research Institute on Aging, University Putra Malaysia
  • Dr Evi Indriasari Mansor, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia