Co-Design for Inclusion in Software Development Design
Older people have their say on technology use at a Think-In in County Kerry
On Thursday, May 18, 2023, Technological University Dublin and the ADAPT Centre together held a very interactive and insightful public co-design session with 21 older people in County Kerry focusing on the role technology can play in enhancing the quality of life as people grow older.
The event took place at the Centre for Smart Ageing in Farranfore, Killarney in County Kerry.
The event started with a public discussion intended to gauge the opinions and experiences of older people on digital technologies. Through the discussion, the participants acknowledged the important role technology plays in their lives but urged innovators to ensure that their tech innovations are inclusive and have tutorials that are easy to access, read and watch, particularly for the older population and people with disabilities.
After the public discussion at Farranfore, participants were split into five groups each handling one scenario focusing on opportunities, impacts, risks and benefits of technology use.
 
The scenarios included use of online banking, home support technologies and social platforms that connect people digitally, like WhatsApp. Through the co-design, the participants acknowledged the important role technology plays in their lives but urged innovators to ensure that their tech innovations are inclusive and have tutorials that are easy to access, read and watch, particularly for the older population and people with disabilities.
Preliminary findings
The Inclusion4 EU team is working on analysing the data collected in this co-design session to produce useful resources for co-design, ultimately aiming at impacting the industrial software development process.
 
Here are some interesting preliminary findings that will be taken into account in out research: 
- Online Banking Regarding online banking, while the participants feel online banking is useful, there is still some apprehension around it. Participants noted they are afraid of falling prey to fraudsters, hackers and scammers. Concerns stem from the fact that most of them are not well-versed with online security measures and do not trust the authenticity of online transactions. They also expressed concern about losing touch with the human interaction and personal service that they enjoy at physical banks.
- Home Technology Home support technologies such as smart home devices (like Alexa), wearable sensors and telehealth systems were seen as beneficial for improving safety, comfort and independence for older people living alone or with limited mobility. However, some participants raised ethical issues such as privacy, consent and data ownership that need to be addressed before adopting such technologies. They also highlighted the need for adequate training and support for using these technologies effectively.
- Connecting Digitally Technologies that connect people digitally such as social media platforms, video calls and online communities were appreciated for reducing loneliness and isolation among the older community. The participants shared their positive experiences of staying in touch with their family members, friends and peers through these technologies. They also expressed interest in learning new skills on how to use these technologies through online courses and workshops.