<story><title>User testing in the wild: he has never used a computer</title><url>http://jboriss.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/user-testing-in-the-wild-joes-first-computer-encounter/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ajays</author><text>Sometimes I think technology just leaves people behind, with no hope of catching up.&lt;p&gt;About 10 years ago, one weekend I drove up to an ATM in Upstate NY, and found an elderly couple standing there, looking confused. After a minute, I stopped the car and got out. Both were well-dressed (probably coming home from church); the gentleman was about 90; his wife was a similar age.&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is everything OK?&quot; I asked.&lt;p&gt;&quot;Could you help us?&quot;, she said (he was too proud to ask for help, I guess).&lt;p&gt;&quot;Sure! What can I do for you?&quot; I replied.&lt;p&gt;&quot;You see, the bank sent us this card and said we should be using it, instead of going to the teller inside. But we don&apos;t know what to do with it.&quot;&lt;p&gt;Wow. I was shocked. The bank (HSBC) had not even told them how to use the card. And I was surprised that there existed people who didn&apos;t know how to use an ATM in this country!&lt;p&gt;So I showed them where to insert the card; told him to enter his PIN (while I looked away so I wouldn&apos;t see it). I advised them about the security implications; and how to always collect the card after you&apos;re done (those ATMs kept the card for the duration, unlike newer ones where you just swipe).&lt;p&gt;I was left with a sad feeling after that, which I can still remember. If I&apos;m ever designing software for general use, I always think about that couple and try to see it from their eyes.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>prawn</author><text>My brother and I were talking about technology gaps today, specifically about how some older people get stuck day after day in front of their TVs watching trash because they never picked up anything past the VCR, or even the VCR at all (in the case of my grandparents).&lt;p&gt;We talked about a simplified Netflix-type account/device that would make suggestions, be dead simple to use, and allow an 80-90 year old to re-watch old classics, view documentaries and the like without commercials, repeats, confusion, etc. If something reasonable existed, who wouldn&apos;t shout their elderly parents or grandparents something like this for $xx/mo. Ideally, older generations would have a diverse range of friends and social activities to while away their hours, but often this just isn&apos;t the case and they are stubborn, have language barriers if immigrants, etc.</text></comment>
<story><title>User testing in the wild: he has never used a computer</title><url>http://jboriss.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/user-testing-in-the-wild-joes-first-computer-encounter/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ajays</author><text>Sometimes I think technology just leaves people behind, with no hope of catching up.&lt;p&gt;About 10 years ago, one weekend I drove up to an ATM in Upstate NY, and found an elderly couple standing there, looking confused. After a minute, I stopped the car and got out. Both were well-dressed (probably coming home from church); the gentleman was about 90; his wife was a similar age.&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is everything OK?&quot; I asked.&lt;p&gt;&quot;Could you help us?&quot;, she said (he was too proud to ask for help, I guess).&lt;p&gt;&quot;Sure! What can I do for you?&quot; I replied.&lt;p&gt;&quot;You see, the bank sent us this card and said we should be using it, instead of going to the teller inside. But we don&apos;t know what to do with it.&quot;&lt;p&gt;Wow. I was shocked. The bank (HSBC) had not even told them how to use the card. And I was surprised that there existed people who didn&apos;t know how to use an ATM in this country!&lt;p&gt;So I showed them where to insert the card; told him to enter his PIN (while I looked away so I wouldn&apos;t see it). I advised them about the security implications; and how to always collect the card after you&apos;re done (those ATMs kept the card for the duration, unlike newer ones where you just swipe).&lt;p&gt;I was left with a sad feeling after that, which I can still remember. If I&apos;m ever designing software for general use, I always think about that couple and try to see it from their eyes.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>icebraining</author><text>Our ATMs (Portugal) are very explicit: &lt;a href=&quot;http://casinoonline.co.pt/images/thumbs/casinomultibanco.gif&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://casinoonline.co.pt/images/thumbs/casinomultibanco.gif&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;The real version is animated (you seen the card entering the slot)
EDIT: &lt;i&gt;Someone made a video...&lt;/i&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zzEXfX_Otk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zzEXfX_Otk&lt;/a&gt;</text></comment>