Seniors and the Use of Digital Media in the Post-Pandemic

Abstract

The crisis generated by the pandemic and the consequent condition of social distancing has led the senior population to significantly increase the use of digital media to socialise, stay informed, perform physical activity and run online errands. Starting from the hypothesis that motion design is one of the communication tools most used by seniors to carry out a large number of online activities, this contribution aims to propose strategies to make a motion design project more inclusive even for the older segment of the population. The examination of the main guidelines on interface design and usability and the analysis of the physical and cognitive characteristics of seniors constitute the methodological basis for defining design strategies to produce animated artefacts that can also be used by the elderly. Finally, the conclusions trace future intervention scenarios and possible research developments to make the response to the needs of the target audience more effective.