Why senior technology needs a revolution now

A 2024 study by Age UK found that 42% of people aged 65 and over in the UK do not use the internet, compared to just 5% of the rest of adults. At the same time, the UK government has announced plans to make 80% of its services “digital by default” by 2025, by reducing funding or outsourcing traditional operations. This imbalance will leave many older people struggling to easily access what will soon be the most basic public services.

I want to shed light on something that isn’t often talked about and has an impact on all of this: current technology solutions for seniors, the gatekeepers of their digital access, are not helping them where they should. They generally fall into two problematic categories:

• Consumer products with half-baked accessibility features are integrated into existing technology as an afterthought. One example is the iPhone’s accessibility settings, which, while impressive, essentially require a “genius” to configure. This doesn’t do much to address fundamental usability issues for someone who’s never used a smartphone before.

• Niche products are designed to solve hyper-specific problems, like a one-button computer for arthritic hands.

Both approaches, while well-intentioned, fail to truly empower seniors to access the digital interfaces that govern their lives today.

The consequences of this failure are far-reaching and often deeply personal. We conducted research on the digital habits of seniors and in the process we met an elderly man who missed his doctor’s appointment because he accidentally changed a preset alarm on his phone and didn’t know not how to fix it. It’s a small usability issue, but it had significant real-world consequences, showing us how seemingly minor design flaws can have a profound impact on the lives of older people. Likewise, there is a huge waste of time and money. We have encountered countless newer smartphone models in the hands of elderly people (often paid for by their children), which are permanently locked. They had forgotten the password months ago.

This is not limited to healthcare or government services either. Take entertainment and travel for example. We’re moving toward a world where everything from concert tickets to train schedules is primarily accessible through smartphone apps. For many older adults, this deprives them of experiences that bring joy and social connection into their lives, which we know also has important benefits for mental and physical health.

Clearly, a change is needed in how we approach access to technology for older adults. What if, instead of simply compensating for physical or cognitive decline, we designed technology that would actually improve older adults’ ability to interact with the world?

This represents both an urgent need and an important opportunity. By reinventing technology design for older adults, we can not only address existing limitations, but also open new avenues for older adults to experience increased enjoyment and independence through their devices.

To guide this reimagining, I propose seven principles of high-tech design:

1. Design for digital newcomers, not just older users. Imagine you are creating interfaces for someone who has never used a touchscreen before. This approach often leads to designs that are more intuitive for everyone.
2. Favor informative and explanatory interfaces. Do not assume any prior knowledge. Each action should be clearly described, not just represented by a confusing icon.
3. Build in flexibility to meet various physical and cognitive needs without feeling like a “special” product. Design potential problems such as poor eyesight or decreased dexterity from the ground up.
4. Allow the user to explore freely, without fear of getting stuck, changing something by mistake, or breaking the phone
5. Technology should enable older adults to do things for themselves, not just provide them with a simplified experience.
6. Take a non-condescending approach to the design process. Too often, technology aimed at seniors inadvertently makes users feel helpless when they encounter difficulties. Instead, we should seek to create interfaces that inspire trust and encourage exploration.
7. Create intuitive paths for troubleshooting and support. So if something is confusing, they intuitively understand the way forward.

Implementing these principles requires us to unlearn much of what we think we know about UX/UI design. What works for digital natives often doesn’t work for older users. We need to question every assumption and design choice, always asking, “Would this make sense to someone who has never used a smartphone?”

This redesign is not easy and will extend to features that, by design, are inaccessible, like security. For example, two-factor authentication is a common stumbling block for many seniors. Instead of relying on memorized codes or app-based systems, why not use voice calls for verification? This is a technology that is familiar to most seniors and does not require learning new interfaces or memorizing complex passwords.

By reframing technology design for seniors as a frontier of inclusive innovation, we open possibilities that benefit users of all age groups. I believe this approach can create adaptable and intuitive technology that will serve us at all ages.