Looking Beyond the Screen to Study the Technology Use of Older People Experiencing Cognitive Concerns

Research with older adults has hinted at the ways that elements beyond the interface play a role in technology use, including videoconferencing. To further understand the range of materials and resources involved, we studied videoconferencing use by ten older individuals with cognitive concerns in a week-long study of interviews, observations, and a modified diary study. Our analysis identified that objects extending beyond software and hardware play a role in videoconferencing, including paper-based objects, personal items, and objects in the built environment. These objects support participants by externalizing information difficult to recall, distributing cognitive effort across time, and lowering cognitive load through their spatial placement and affordances. These insights point to opportunities for researchers working with older people to focus on the work happening outside of today's interfaces. We also discuss how the lens of distributed cognition could help us design better technologies to support age-related cognitive impairment.