Process of design and usability evaluation of a telepsychology web and virtual reality system for the elderly: Butler

Abstract

Butler is a multi-application system based on Internet technology and virtual reality, designed to meet the needs of elderly users. Its objectives are to assist elderly populations in accessing technology and new forms of communication, replicating, as far as possible the way of lineal interaction that this population group had traditionally to interact with information in order to facilitate the first contacts with technology. Butler is equipped with e-mail, videoconferencing, blogging, access to the Internet through a well-known web search engine, image and sound gallery, new contacts searcher, and two virtual reality environments. In this paper we describe Butler's most relevant features taking into account the usability design process and the usability evaluation of the system, which, after pilot testing, have proven to be highly acceptable and satisfactory to users. We also present the results of evaluations pertaining to the iconography used in the program, the navigation and users' help design process, and the first functional prototype, all of which were designed and redesigned with the aid of web heuristics and guidelines for the web design for elderly users. Results suggest important features to be taken into account when designing and developing this sort of application for the elderly.