User-centered design of an interactive social service concept for elderly people
Tamang, Tirtha Maya (2015)
2015
Master's Degree Programme in Information Technology
Tieto- ja sähkötekniikan tiedekunta - Faculty of Computing and Electrical Engineering
This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2015-08-12
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tty-201507291454
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tty-201507291454
Tiivistelmä
The population is greying rapidly. Technologies are booming to maintain independence and wellbeing of the elderly people. Many designs and researches are particularly focused on physiological and safety needs of the elderly people. Though technologies have capabilities to affect the social aspects of the elderly people in a positive way, there are fewer researches commenced to date. The main purpose of this thesis work is to find out the needs of the elderly people and design appropriate technological solution for the elderly people addressing those needs using User Centered Design Approach.
Various data collection methods such as semi-structured thematic interviews, observation and diary method were utilized to collect user needs. Then user data were consolidated using affinity diagram and the needs were classified using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Based on the user studies and the literature review of existing technologies, the need for social technology was figured out and the design phase involved the development of Social TV prototype. The design process was iterative in terms of creating scenarios and storyboards as well as User Environment Design to attain simplicity in design. Then the mid-fidelity prototype of social TV named ElderTV was developed to demonstrate the concept. The evaluation of the prototype was conducted utilizing sociability heuristics for social TV where the designed prototype was compared against each heuristics rules and these rules served as design guidelines during the design phase of the prototype.
The resulted social TV concept for elderly people is designed to address elderly peoples’ needs to strengthen the existing social ties. The concept is expected to extend TV viewing activity of the elderly people into shared experience by allowing them to communicate with a circle of friends and families. The prototype is intended to illustrate how elderly people can share feeling of togetherness while watching television and alleviate the loneliness and isolation of the elderly.
Various data collection methods such as semi-structured thematic interviews, observation and diary method were utilized to collect user needs. Then user data were consolidated using affinity diagram and the needs were classified using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Based on the user studies and the literature review of existing technologies, the need for social technology was figured out and the design phase involved the development of Social TV prototype. The design process was iterative in terms of creating scenarios and storyboards as well as User Environment Design to attain simplicity in design. Then the mid-fidelity prototype of social TV named ElderTV was developed to demonstrate the concept. The evaluation of the prototype was conducted utilizing sociability heuristics for social TV where the designed prototype was compared against each heuristics rules and these rules served as design guidelines during the design phase of the prototype.
The resulted social TV concept for elderly people is designed to address elderly peoples’ needs to strengthen the existing social ties. The concept is expected to extend TV viewing activity of the elderly people into shared experience by allowing them to communicate with a circle of friends and families. The prototype is intended to illustrate how elderly people can share feeling of togetherness while watching television and alleviate the loneliness and isolation of the elderly.