Seven tips for creating better digital experiences for older users

The population is shifting and the number of people in the over-60 age bracket is increasing. According to the World Health Organization, by 2050, nearly two billion people across the world are expected to be over 60 years old. That’s more than triple the number in 2000.

The over-60s are growing faster than youngsters, thanks to a longer life expectancy, healthier lives and declining birth rates in many countries.

United Nations World Population Prospects

In the US, a change will happen very soon. The 2030s are projected to be a transformative decade for the population. The population is expected to grow at a slower pace, and age considerably. Other parts of the world are changing as well. It’s predicted that nearly a third of Japanese people will be senior citizens by 2030.

Many UX designers are young and middle-aged, so it’s important they keep in mind that there are many people using their products or visiting their websites who are older than they are. Notice I say older, not “old”. I’m not here to debate what is considered old, but for the purposes of this article, let’s say 65+.

From a design perspective, it seems that the over-60 crowd isn’t getting the attention they should be… yet. Unless you’re designing products for children, it seems that age isn’t a primary focus.

In the future, I hope the UX industry will also have some career-shifting older designers. We all know older people who certainly don’t act like it, but the user experience should be considered to better serve them. In most cases, users who are older have different needs and preferences than someone who is in their 20s.