Learning from COVID-19: Design, Age-friendly Technology, Hacking and Mental Models

Abstract

In March 2020 the United Nations published an open brief for the creative community to propose interventions to the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic. However, when faced with unprecedented wicked problems such as these, the rigour of design and creative processes can tested. COVID-19 has demonstrated how important human centred design responses are in understanding the worldviews and ecosystems of users. Ad hoc design responses or design hacks have demonstrated that they have a role to play in how we create our future individual, community and societal ecosystems. In terms of age friendly design, this pandemic makes us envision what should be, furthermore, how we could create better products and services through technology. For our ageing communities ‘Cocooning’ and other social restriction measures have exposed technological deficiencies for the needs of older people and opens up questions of our future preparedness for a growing ageing society. Now more than ever, designers need to understand the behavioural mind-set of older people in their own ecosystem and understand existing mental models. In this opinion piece we posit what acts of design hacking can lead us to greater understanding of users mental models and therefore better understanding of technology needs for both older and younger adults. While presenting various examples of how design hacking is conducted by citizens and participants alike, it shows that it offers designers differing perspectives, experiences and inspiration for technology.

What role can videogames play in the COVID-19 pandemic?

“…In recent weeks, contemporary research posits the potential benefits of technology for all citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Marston et al , 2020 ; Sheerman et al , 2020 ; White et al , 2020 ). In addition to existing narratives and discourse, technology is playing a pivotal role in various ecosystems as a means of continuing and enhancing social connections, be it amongst young gamers and/or from an intergenerational standpoint ( De la Hera et al , 2017 ; Marston & Azadvar, 2020 ; Voida & Greenberg, 2010 ; Voida & Greenberg, 2009 ; Wang et al , 2018 ).…”

“…Existing research ( De la Hera et al , 2017 ; Voida & Greenberg, 2010 ; Voida & Greenberg, 2009 ; Wang et al , 2018 ) and the work presented by Flynn (2003) , illustrates how videogames can enhance interaction within the physical space(s) with other gamers, and adults alike. During this unprecedented time in society, COVID-19 is impacting many physical spaces and ecosystems ( Marston et al , 2020 ; Sheerman et al , 2020 ; White et al , 2020 ), be it a community group, a family, middle-aged or older adults living on their own, or a keyworker. Yet, videogames and their peripheral technologies can and do have a role to play in continuing and enhancing social connections, relationships and engagements, from within the ecosystem and/or across WiFi communications.…”

Anxiety and Emotions of COVID-19: The Emotional Underpinnings of Dealing with the Corona Virus Disease

“…But, as demonstrated in this paper, the success of various efforts aimed at curbing COVID-19 is highly dependent upon both improved awareness of the potential dangers of the disease as well as tactful approaches. Therefore, checklists provided in Appendices I, II and III are methodological approaches that should be realigned to a particular phenomenonby adopting an interpretative phenomenological analysis (Mair, 2020;Smith, Flower, & Larkin, 2009;Spinelli, 2005;Tabari et al, 2020;Tuffour, 2017;White et al, 2020).…”

What role can videogames play in the COVID-19 pandemic?

“…In recent weeks, contemporary research posits the potential benefits of technology for all citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Marston et al , 2020 ; Sheerman et al , 2020 ; White et al , 2020 ). In addition to existing narratives and discourse, technology is playing a pivotal role in various ecosystems as a means of continuing and enhancing social connections, be it amongst young gamers and/or from an intergenerational standpoint ( De la Hera et al , 2017 ; Voida & Greenberg, 2010 ; Voida & Greenberg, 2009 ; Wang et al , 2018 ).…”

“…During this unprecedented time in society, COVID-19 is impacting many physical spaces and ecosystems ( Marston et al , 2020 ; Sheerman et al. , 2020 ; White et al. , 2020 ), be it a community group, a family, middle-aged or older adults living on their own, or a keyworker.…”