Difficulties involving older people in design research: A case study of the stereotype production method for graphical interface design

The stereotype production method for graphical interface design is a way of involving prospective users directly in the interface design process. Prospective users become central to the graphical interface development process and generate ideas through drawings at the very beginning of the conceptual phase. However, there have been few research studies on designing, planning and running the stereotype production method with older people, who often experience a decline in sensory, physical and cognitive functionality. This paper reports a design research project in which older people were invited to participate in graphical interface design using the stereotype production method. Based on the project findings and experience, the paper discusses the difficulties of involving older people in the conceptual design process. The paper attempts to provide insights and recommendations for design practitioners to better optimise the use of the stereotype production method for graphical interface design with older people, which should lead to the development of better and more user-friendly designs.