One of the goals of "universal design" is to adapt an environment so that it accommodates the widest possible range of users without hindering use by any specific group. In our testing of the Elder Interface, adaptations and adjustments were selected that made the interface more usable by those experiencing problems, but which did not significantly change the user experience for those who were not.
Most of the adaptations developed for the Elder Interface were not noticed by most of the elder testers, except when they did a direct comparison of the conventional and elder interfaces. However, the difficulties that the adaptations were intended to address were no longer observed in the testers. The single exception to this is the replacement of the two-button mouse with a single-button mouse. Experienced computer users found the one-button interface harder to use than the single-button, though this was not true for novice users.
During the development of the Elder Interface we observed an interesting reticence of elders to design flaws in the computer interface. When asked about features of the computer that were hard to use, elders often responded with comments like, "The print size would be fine, if only my eyes were better."
This suggests that the adjustments of the Elder Interface should not be made only when an elder identifies a feature as a problem. Rather, the interface adaptations should be applied by default, and removed only if the elder finds them to be a hindrance. With the exception of changes to the mouse, all of the recommended adaptations are available at no cost, and with only minimal effort on the part of the person setting up the computer.
The interface adjustments recommended for the elder interface will not result in elders "magically" being able to use the computer. As noted in each section, there are a number of features of the interface that must be learned and practiced in order to use the computer effectively.
The goal of the Elder Interface is to adapt the interface of the computer to the physical and sensory abilities of typically developing elders. If a particular elder has changes to coordination or vision produced by a disease process, other settings, or other adaptations, might be required. In these cases, individual evaluation by an Assistive Technology Practitioner with expertise in alternative computer access might be required.
While the adaptations of the Elder Interface were developed specifically for typically developing elders, the physical and sensory limitations seen in elders may also be seen in a wide range of conditions in younger computer users. The same adaptations may be applied to meet the needs of any individual who finds the changes to be helpful.
In an environment where computers have individual log-in accounts, it is important to recognize that the adaptations described here are "per user." This means that changes to the keyboard behavior, mouse behavior, or screen resolution for one user will not affect the settings of other users. This is important in two ways.
First, in many cases, an accommodation for one person may be a barrier for another. Most of the accommodations of the Elder Interface will not change the experience of other users at all, provided that each has a separate log-in to the computer.
Second, because the changes are user-specific, it is important that the computer be accessed through the account of the individual for whom it is being modified, as changes to other accounts will not affect the elder's interface.