Hands-On Workshop on Tabletop Role-Playing for Inclusive Design: Imagining Sustainable Futures for ‘Older Adults'

Abstract

‘Older adults’ are often seen as a homogeneous group, disregarding their actual diversity in attitudes, abilities, and needs. This stereotypical view can seep into the research and design of digital technologies when developing for this age group, which can lead to those technologies not matching up with actual needs and abilities and thus not being picked up or engaged with. The goal of this workshop is to explore Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs) as a method for HCI/UX to promote reflection on the concept of ‘older adults’ and to raise awareness for the heterogeneity of this demographic. The TTRPG adventure will be set in a sustainable future where a socio-ecological transformation has taken place; a transformation that can be significantly aided by digital technologies, which additionally stresses the need for a deeper reflection on the heterogeneity of all demographics involved in such a transformation, including ‘older adults’. This workshop will contribute to an improved understanding of TTRPG as an approach to understanding diversity, paving the way to further research into inclusive design of digital technology for sustainability and beyond.