User studies reveal technology can enhance learning for older adults, suggesting HelpCall and SoftBox improve access and guidance.
Older adults are increasingly integrating technology into their daily lives but often need guidance to navigate new tools effectively. Some benefit from real-time support from family members, while others prefer self-paced, asynchronous help. To meet their diverse needs, I propose two solutions: HelpCall and SoftBox. HelpCall provides synchronous guidance through an assistive video overlay, helping older adults follow instructions from remote family members. In contrast, to support asynchronous assistance, SoftBox generates guided interactive software mockups from screencast demonstrations to allow learners to independently explore and learn new features in a sandbox-like environment. Through user studies with older adults and their family members, these projects offer complementary insights into synchronous and asynchronous support, advancing accessible technology for diverse learning needs and contexts and moving toward universal accessibility in digital tools.
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Teerapaun Tanprasert (2025) studied this question.
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