Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations
The promise of technology to provide solutions to the global concern of ageing populations has largely been unfulfilled. We argue that this is, in part, related to design processes that fail to take account of the rich material lives of older people, and that often adopt stereotypical views of olde...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Linköping University Electronic Press
2022-04-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Ageing and Later Life |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ijal.se/article/view/3531 |
| _version_ | 1811330206802116608 |
|---|---|
| author | Helen Manchester Juliane Jarke |
| author_facet | Helen Manchester Juliane Jarke |
| author_sort | Helen Manchester |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The promise of technology to provide solutions to the global concern of ageing populations has largely been unfulfilled. We argue that this is, in part, related to design processes that fail to take account of the rich material lives of older people, and that often adopt stereotypical views of older people as frail, vulnerable and unskilled. We draw on empirical data from two co-design projects, to suggest the contributions that material gerontologists could make to design teams creating technologies for ageing populations. We suggest material gerontologists bring three key elements to interdisciplinary design teams: (1) making visible the intra-action of humans and non-humans in co-design processes; (2) reconfiguring co-design response-ably with older adults; and (3) reimagining possible outcomes of technology design. We believe that this approach can result in the design of products, services and innovations that respond better to the heterogeneous needs and life-worlds of older adults.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:57:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ecf96a19a104012b5364ed29afe9a27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1652-8670 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:57:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Linköping University Electronic Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Ageing and Later Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ecf96a19a104012b5364ed29afe9a272022-12-22T02:40:38ZengLinköping University Electronic PressInternational Journal of Ageing and Later Life1652-86702022-04-0115210.3384/ijal.1652-8670.3531Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populationsHelen Manchester0Juliane Jarke1University of BristolCentre for Media, Communication and Information Research (ZeMKI) & Institute for Information Management Bremen (ifib), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany The promise of technology to provide solutions to the global concern of ageing populations has largely been unfulfilled. We argue that this is, in part, related to design processes that fail to take account of the rich material lives of older people, and that often adopt stereotypical views of older people as frail, vulnerable and unskilled. We draw on empirical data from two co-design projects, to suggest the contributions that material gerontologists could make to design teams creating technologies for ageing populations. We suggest material gerontologists bring three key elements to interdisciplinary design teams: (1) making visible the intra-action of humans and non-humans in co-design processes; (2) reconfiguring co-design response-ably with older adults; and (3) reimagining possible outcomes of technology design. We believe that this approach can result in the design of products, services and innovations that respond better to the heterogeneous needs and life-worlds of older adults. https://ijal.se/article/view/3531co-designintra-actionsocio-gerotechnologymaterial gerontologyageingresponse-ability |
| spellingShingle | Helen Manchester Juliane Jarke Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations International Journal of Ageing and Later Life co-design intra-action socio-gerotechnology material gerontology ageing response-ability |
| title | Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations |
| title_full | Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations |
| title_fullStr | Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations |
| title_short | Considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations |
| title_sort | considering the role of material gerontology in reimagining technology design for ageing populations |
| topic | co-design intra-action socio-gerotechnology material gerontology ageing response-ability |
| url | https://ijal.se/article/view/3531 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT helenmanchester consideringtheroleofmaterialgerontologyinreimaginingtechnologydesignforageingpopulations AT julianejarke consideringtheroleofmaterialgerontologyinreimaginingtechnologydesignforageingpopulations |