As a design agency, we care about good UX for any generation and user group. In this article, we want to list the biggest challenges and best practices for designing user interfaces accessible to seniors.
How do seniors use the Internet?
Senior citizens are people over the age of 65 who have retired. As the percentage of seniors is only growing among the population, so is their online presence.
Most older people have Internet access and represent a major target audience for many types of apps and products. Here are some products and services that serve the needs of older people the most:
- healthcare applications (for example, glucose and cholesterol level trackers, pill intake and doctor appointment reminders)
- online shopping platforms
- goods and food deliveries
- personal finance management tools
- entertainment apps (like online card or crossword games)
- platforms that help stay connected to other people.
It's a common fact that older people may often have limited movement, vision, and cognitive abilities. But they value their independence, love technology, and want to be no less active than the younger generation. And UX design for seniors should take this into account. Software should help people of all ages stay active, independent, and joyful.
Examples of senior-friendly UI/UX design
First thing first, let's take a look at specific solutions that are adapted well for seniors.
LiveWell
This web design for seniors relies on principles of accessible design: visual hierarchy highlights more important content pieces, headlines are in large-sized legible fonts, bullet lists, and CTA buttons are separated and well-distinguished with color. The website's structure is simple and familiar, yet the user experience is still engaging.
Senior Meetme
There are many dating apps on the market. But here's an example of a product for seniors. Pay attention to the app's simplicity and space around design elements that make the user experience easy and pleasant. Buttons under profiles are visible, and the solution with icons works better here than plain text.
Instacart
Many seniors use grocery delivery services, but not every delivery app provides accessible UX design for older people. In the Instacart app, goods are presented as pictures, which helps to manage the virtual cart more easily. The horizontal grid structure and navigation arrows resemble supermarket shelves, making the shopping experience more intuitive.
Mint
Senior citizens value their independence, and personal finance management applications are helpful. Mint is a budget and expense tracker with a neat UI and clear visual hierarchy. Design elements on the page are well-structured, while essential messages are highlighted in bold, which helps to focus the attention on important things first. Data is visualized in simple diagrams. All these features make the app exceptionally senior-friendly.
Solitaire game
Digital card games are popular among seniors. Such games are relaxing and entertaining, but at the same time, keep your mind sharp. The UI of this simple solitaire card game is well-designed and keeps older people's needs in mind. Just by looking at essential distinct buttons on the top of the page and large icons of the playing cards, you can tell that this design is accessible for older adults.
Sixty and Me
Sixty and Me website for older women balances modern UI trends and accessibility to people of all ages. Pay attention to microcopy that leaves no room for confusion. Options to subscribe, unsubscribe, and privacy policy are all in equal font size and only highlighted in different colors, improving senior user experience.
Now that we've seen some good UX design for seniors examples, let's get into what makes them work (or don't work).
Common challenges in user interfaces for seniors
Seniors often have specific needs determined by their age and health condition. And sadly, web and mobile interfaces are not always designed with an older audience in mind.
For example, seniors often use products like grocery deliveries or health-tracking apps. But they often have too complex UI with many small elements that might confuse older users.
New design patterns and unfamiliar user interfaces may challenge or stress older users, who tend to adapt to changes slower and feel more comfortable relying on previous digital experiences.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 60 percent of Americans 65 years and older have difficulty with close vision and another 15 percent struggle with distance vision. This means that many users aged 65 or older struggle to use digital products that use smaller font sizes.
So, how do you make an app that avoids these issues?
Tips for better UI design for seniors
Designing for seniors means trying to make your app accessible to people over 60 years of age. You can achieve this by making design adjustments to some fundamental elements.
Implement the following design principles for seniors when creating apps for older audiences:
- Make sure that a user interface has big and easy-to-see main elements. Place links, buttons, sliders, and such in a central location on the page so that seniors can read the content more easily.
- Use big, legible fonts and semi-modular icons so they can be accessible to people with impaired vision. Best of all, let people change their font size within an app. Customizable font sizes make it easier for seniors to adjust the text size.
- You can also use bold contrasting colors for checkboxes and lists so seniors can easily see available options.
- App design for elderly people can include an interface that automatically changes from color to black and white in poor lighting conditions, decreasing screen contrast and making reading and scrolling less tiring.
- Include some white space between items to help scan the page easier. Show items in a series of rows or columns – grids make it easier for seniors to scan content and identify what they want.
Overall, keep your app design clear and simple, and users of any age group will thank you for that.
To sum up
Designing UX for seniors is a crucial aspect of inclusive design. By understanding the unique needs and challenges faced by older users, designers can create digital experiences that are not only accessible but also enjoyable for this demographic. Remember, good design isn't just about aesthetics; it's about creating an environment where all users, regardless of age, can interact effortlessly and effectively with technology.
As technology continues to evolve, it's important to ensure that no one is left behind. Incorporating these design principles for seniors not only improves the usability of your product for older users but also enhances the overall user experience for everyone. By making your app senior-friendly, you demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, which is essential in today's diverse digital landscape.
To better understand how to design a product for different user groups, older users in particular, and make it truly user-oriented, feel free to read our article about accessibility in the UX or drop us a line to discuss how we can help you design or redesign your product to make it senior-friendly.
Believe it or not, the Baby Boomer generation has come to retirement age. And unlike previous generations, they are very active online users. But unfortunately, older users often have certain limitations due to declining health. Visual impairment, mobility problems, and slow adaptation to changes might get in the way of enjoying favorite apps. Senior users deserve respect, and the best way to express it is to provide smooth digital experiences for them.
