HealthCloud: Participatory design of user interfaces for senior people's active aging

The aim of the HealthCloud project has been twofold: to develop knowledge of user needs for interface design specifically for an ageing population, and also to develop a user interface design specially designed for senior persons with sensory decline to promote healthy living through five Core Health Projects. A participatory approach was chosen to investigate the aim of the project and data was collected and analysed in three sequential steps. A reference-group with senior citizens recruited from retirement organizations interactively evolved data for the project during three workshops. The continuous interaction with the reference group resulted in a conceptual user interface design aimed for the digital HealthCloud service. In the design of the conceptual user interface, the identified core factors were a strive for simplicity: to reduce, organize, and make it enjoyable to use. Participants in the reference-group found the developed interface easy to use regardless of previous computer skills and they were also motivated and stimulated by the interface to start using the computer for promoting their health om a daily basis. Participants also wanted to display and recommend this interface to other members of retirement organizations.