A Study on Determining the Heuristics for Evaluating the Usability of Hot Drink Preparation Devices by Elderly Users

Abstract

This study focuses on determining usability problems resulting from the usage of coffee and tea preparation machines by elderly users. Both product types are widely available in Turkish market with international and local brands. However they are not widely used by elderly users due to various personal and social causes. The study consists from two data collection techniques. In the initial stage of the research, a face-to-face questionnaire study is conducted with 15 elderly users. All the participants were young-elderly users aged between 65–74 years. The second part of the study consist from an observation study. The data obtained from the questionnaire and the observation was used to document all the errors resulting from the usage of the products that are the focus of this study. Later these errors are classified according to universal design principles in order to obtain error categories to be a basis to formulate the heuristics to be used as the theoretical basis for the heuristic evaluation of hot drink preparation devices.