Ageism in Tech: Article in The Conversation

On November 16th, 2022, a piece co-authored by Nicole and her postdoctoral fellow Dr. Stephanie Hatzifilalithis was published in The Conversation. The Conversation is an independent source of news and views, from the academic and research community, delivered directly to the public.

In this article, Ageism in tech: Older adults should be included in the design of new technologies, Nicole and Stephanie discuss the importance of co-design with older adults in the creation of different technology. While ageism (the discrimination against folks for reasons based solely on their age) has received increased attention in recent years, it still fails to be considered in the context of the development of digital technologies. Despite encouraging examples of universal technology design from Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, the overwhelming majority of individuals working at tech companies are young, white, and, male. Stephanie and Nicole propose the integration of co-design with older adults into the development of technology. This will ensure that products are informed, directed, and influenced by older people and that technology will become more aligned with their needs, experience, and expertise.