Application of cognitive theory to training and design solutions for age-related computer use

As the prevalence of computer-based technologies increases throughout society, so does the likelihood that older adults will be required to interact with them. Unfortunately, such systems often appear to older adults to be too hard to use and too hard to learn. We provide examples highlighting the opportunities available to behavioural science to affect training and system design through practically relevant research. We focus on our research on ageing, computer use, and training to support our assertion that applied research aimed at designing training materials and system interfaces to enhance the performance of older adults can and should be driven by psychological theory. The data presented and studies reviewed here clearly demonstrate that theory is critical for predicting age differences in computer use, for guiding the development of both training and design interventions for older computer users, and for reconciling conflicting findings in the design-evaluation literature.