Text:
It is recommended that the minimum size for text is 12pt, however what I will suggest in my style guide is to remain the minimum text size to be at least 16pt, this will ensure that all text is legible. I also suggest for there to be an optional text adjustment element featured on web pages and apps so the audience can then increase or decrease the text to their needs as many older people may not know how to do this on a browser or phone.
Sans Serif fonts are recommended for an older generation as the spacing between letters make it easier for them to read. I will avoid using fancy, hard to read fonts however am going to experiment with non-traditional use of fonts to attempt to modernise the traditional.
Navigation:
An increasing factor in the older generation is memory loss, it may not be as drastic as dementia or Alzheimer’s but milder memory loss occurs in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or subjective memory loss. When designing for a market which may develop into any of these stages it may be helpful to create a linear diagram to show the audience the page they are on, the page they have just left and the page they originated from in order to make it simple to understand if they get lost. There should be a constant menu available situated either at the top or side of the page to also emphasise the page you are on and how to go back, we can’t assume that the users will know how to use the back button on the browser or phone.
A function which the younger generation is common with is the use of scrolling, whether with a touchpad, scroll bar or touchscreen devices, however this function may not be obvious to people who have never/ hardly accessed devices; ‘Scrolling and other mouse activities are a learned behaviour and becomes more difficult with age making pull-down menus, scrolling lists, and scrolling pages difficult for some users’ (https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-age-literature/#intro). I have to assume the audience obtains no prior knowledge to devices and their functions therefore I will need to create a clearly defined hyperlink for longer pages so viewers can jump to the next section as well as scrolling with no confusion.
Elements:
Instead of using icons which may seem like a second language to the younger generation I need to simplify symbols which may be easily recognisable to some but bizarre to others; ‘58% of seniors could not identify common icons and symbols’ (https://spin.atomicobject.com/2014/06/18/interface-design-seniors/), for example a search icon could be perceived as a magnifying glass therefore suggest this button allows you to zoom into the page. An important factor will be being able to create icons which resemble real life objects which the audience is more accustomed to.
Making obvious what elements are clickable could also be an issue for the audience, designs have developed from skeuomorphic elements to flat design where buttons are not outlined in a box anymore and instead are presented as bolder text for example. What I intend to do is reinvent the skeuomorphic design, making buttons 3 dimensional with shadowing to create a definitive difference between that and simple text.
Distancing between buttons is also important, as eye sight decreases so does accuracy therefore well-spaced buttons is crucial in order to not infuriate the user in clicking on the wrong thing.