![Sample our Computer Science journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5928/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Computer-Science.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Metaphors could be used to help older adults build mental models of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications and services and thereby reduce the number of interaction problems, but currently, metaphors generally are not tailored to these older adults, and their construction remains vague. Inspired by concrete icons, this study proposes concrete metaphors to help novice older adults understand ICT applications and services and retains their knowledge over time. A new communication application based on concrete metaphors was designed, developed, and comparatively tested against another application based on abstract metaphors over a period of 9 days. The results indicated that the application with concrete metaphors contributed to fewer perception and cognition errors, higher usage intention, higher satisfaction, and higher preference compared to the application with abstract metaphors. In addition, the advantage of concrete metaphors was lasting, unlike concrete icons. These findings indicated that concrete metaphors could be an icebreaker or stepping stone to draw novice older adults into the information society. To further increase the impact of concrete metaphors, representing real-world operations is an essential challenge.
Funding
The authors would like to acknowledge the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant nos. 71401018 and 71661167006), Chongqing Municipal Natural Science Foundation (cstc2016jcyjA0406), and National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Jia Zhou
Jia Zhou is an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Chongqing University and used to be a visiting scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on design mobile devices for older adults.
Amrish Chourasia
Amrish O. Chourasia is a Human Factors Engineer at Design Concepts Inc., Madison, WI. This paper is the outcome of research conducted when he was a research associate at the Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Gregg Vanderheiden
Gregg Vanderheiden is a professor at the University of Maryland - College Park. He was Director of the Trace R&D Center and a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is co-founder of ‘Raising the Floor’ and initiated the international efforts to build the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructures (GPII).