Older adults and digital technology : a study of user perception and usage behavior

Abstract

Nowadays, with aging society, there are an increasing number of older adults, who are current or potential users of digital technologies. However, how older adults perceive and use digital technologies does not receive sufficient research attentions. This study investigated older adults’ user perception and usage behavior of digital technologies in Hong Kong. A semi-structured interview was designed to understand their feelings and experience of daily digital technology use. The results found that older adults presented positive attitudes to the digital technology use but less self-efficacy of their own capabilities of learning these technologies. The majority of participants reported difficulties when using and learning digital technologies, especially navigation problems. Additionally, there is a tendency of using mobile computing devices instead of computers among older adults. By considering older adults’ special needs and limitations in future digital technology design, a better user experience could be assured.