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Icon Booklets

Icon Booklets

Summary

A research project that took place between 2020 – 2021 called ‘Adapt Tech, Accessible Technology’ led by Dr Deborah Morgan, has resulted in a useful resource aimed at older people who use (or would like to use!) smart devices. The ‘icon booklet’ illustrates various common app icons that are often found on smartphones, together with details of the purpose of the app.

Older people came up with the idea and then worked with the research team to create it. The team included experts and specialists in ageing, computer science and psychology from three universities (Swansea University, The Open University and Northumbria University) alongside partners, Digital Communities Wales and Digital Voice for Communities in the North East of England and older people from Wales and the North East.

Welsh and English copies of the icon booklet are available for free in Cardiff Hubs and Libraries.

Website: https://www.open.ac.uk/health-wellbeing/projects/adjust-tech-accessible-technology-atat

Key facts

Main target group: Older people in general

Other target group(s): Digitally excluded individuals

Sector(s): Education, Information and communication

Desired outcome for older people:
Learn, grow and make decisions

Other issues the Age-friendly practice aims to address:
  • Ageism
  • Accessibility
  • Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)
  • Inequities
  • Inclusion
  • Participation
  • Technologies

Contact details

Name: Nicola Pitman

Email address: nicola.pitman@cardiff.gov.uk

Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):

Engaging the wider community

Project lead: Research institution

Others involved in the project:
  • Local authorities
  • Volunteers

How collaboration worked: Older people worked together with researchers to highlight the issues they were experiencing and to develop the booklet. Age Friendly Cardiff connected with the research team to learn more about the project and explore how the local authority could help to amplify the project and make the booklet widely available to older people within community settings. The research team developed a podcast which was co-produced with older people This gives a good insight into the collaborations that took place during the project: https://soundcloud.com/user-54146754/design-for-age-doing-co-design-better?si=b6e40be1a440461bac92ce09a2b5bd61, https://www.podbean.com/pu/pbblog-6cq5t-c8177c, https://open.spotify.com/show/0eiOhrLkpYwsj4Lv4GeXDj?si=9dbcdc53213e4f1b

Older people’s involvement: Older people were involved in the age-friendly practice at multiple or all stages

Details on older people’s involvement: The initial project, from which the booklet stemmed was to co-develop a prototype launcher app to simplify smart phone devices but building in ability to add functionality as skills improved. It was through those workshops with digitally excluded older adults expressed difficulties understanding the icons, that the idea for the icon booklet developed.

Moving forward

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: No

Do you plan to evaluate your age-friendly practice? Yes

Expansion plans:
Age Friendly Cardiff plan to extend the reach of the project by distributing copies to various groups and settings, including the Digital Support Team and day centres, as well as highlighting the resource to partners.

Looking back

Challenges:
None at present.