Rebooting the tech user experience for the elderly | Christine Rohacz | TEDxBoulder

In this thought-provoking talk, Christine Rohacz, a 29-year-old startup founder and software engineer, paints a vivid picture of what aging looks like for many individuals today, highlighting both the challenges and the often-overlooked issue of loneliness among the elderly. With a personal story about her mother's fall and her own realization about public infrastructure, Christine sheds light on the struggles faced by older generations, particularly in adapting to technology.
Christine delves into the lack of user testing for technologies catering to those aged 55 and above. She emphasizes the importance of bridging the generational gap by actively seeking insights from the elderly and incorporating their perspectives into design and societal considerations. The talk serves as a powerful call to action for the younger audience, urging them to value and engage with the older generation, recognizing the wealth of wisdom and experience they possess. Christine Rohacz is living in Boulder, Colorado where she settled after finishing her MBA at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. She has years of experience as a software engineer and most recently began her journey in entrepreneurship. She is always chasing opportunities to create a positive impact on the world around her. When she is not building software or companies, Christine is most likely to be found trail running, rock climbing, or mountain biking for hours on end in the mountains of Colorado. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@mariansmith7694]

WOW, Thank you... I am turning 70. I am ALONE. I am busy striving to learn and stay current with technology. I am searching for ways to make more money. I live alone. I am working to stay healthy and fit, and to keep my mind strong. Thank you for thinking of us.

[@SanjiDWang]

You are really strong Have a great life Luv from himalaya

[@QamarHussain-w8s]

Lovely to see the younger generation reaching out in very much needed areas of life. Well done that young lady!

[@chaugg1]

This young female engineer has a golden heart.. Thank you!! ❤❤

[@caitlinbickert8517]

I’m a new graduate nurse and this was so so so heartwarming to hear. I am so glad that this population has people like you to support and help them get the recognition they need.

[@craigestory6230]

Bravo! This Babbie is so happy to hear this great news from young people! Thank you, thank you thank you

[@curiousfirely]

Thank you so much for bringing attention to this. I have been helping an elderly neighbor with her type 2 diabetes, and have realized the tech and tools were NOT made with accessibility in mind.

[@FamilyReunionPhotography]

I own and operate a photography business that primarily works with older people. It's such an amazing genre of photography and it boggles my mind why most photographers go after the young families, but not many of us seek to work with the people with "gray hair and wrinkles and a lifetime of wisdom to share". I'm just now starting to teach other photographers how to find and work with these salt of the earth beautiful people and their families. Thank you for recognizing them. I'm 59 now, my husband is 64. We're starting to feel it ourselves. None of us get out of this thing called life alive.

[@Zanshin001]

I'm only 34, always a skeptic and an old soul for the record, but this talk really hit me. Great perspective on nuances and general state of these social spheres. Well said miss

[@Asiramyde]

I have just turned 65 and have been struggling to catch up with ALL this technology. It hasn't been easy at all. It seems that in my country, in your country, doesn't matter where, It hás been the same. Thank you for listening tô us. It is a good start.

[@DimaSofiyuk]

This talk highlights a crucial point about aging in our society that often goes unnoticed. It’s a reminder of how technology and community interactions should adapt to be more inclusive for the elderly. Similarly, I use Plerdy on my site to ensure it caters to users of all ages by analyzing their interactions, which helps in optimizing their user experience. It’s all about creating an environment that serves everyone well. 👵👴

[@madalyngaldamez435]

I’ve been saying this for years. My generation is becoming more and more invisible. Thank you for bringing this to the forefront. By the time these changes are made, it’ll be too late for us seniors.

[@ericabaptiste9112]

Thank you

[@Abdihakim_hu20]

Worth watching

[@ayhansimsek8506]

Thanks for sharing this video

[@ZoCks]

Powerful and true. Thank you for this.

[@emazur8394]

It's not just the elderly who have problems with today's tech user experience. I'm someone who as a teen was installing DOS and Windows operating systems and upgrading computer hardware back in the 90s and who owned a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) Windows "Pocket PC" handheld from the 2000s prior to the iPhone and smart phone era to give you my tech background. I'll be blunt - the move to touch screen interfaces, which can be useful and do have their place, has diminished or ruined the user experience on everything from phones to consumer electronics and appliances. Why does my name brand car stereo use a touch screen with tiny buttons that requires me to take my eyes off the road to adjust the volume and that have to be pressed repeatedly while stereos of previous years used a physical dial that I could feel around for while keeping my eyes on the road and adjust instantly? Why does my washing machine have a touch screen that requires me to hold down the start button for 2 seconds instead of a physical button to simply press once to engage the washer? Why does my phone completely eliminate an interface and make me do arbitrary gestures to accomplish anything? It might as well require me to click my heals 3 times and say "there's no place like home" (another completely arbitrary task) to move from one screen to another. I encourage everyone to read the 2015 article "How Apple Is Giving Design A Bad Name" by Don Norman and Bruce Tognazzini. Apple started this horrible trend but others ran with it. My car stereo is a Pioneer, my washer is a Whirlpool, and my phone is a Motorola Android. Microsoft Windows 8, while its performance was excellent, had the worst desktop computing interface I've ever used. When MS-DOS and Linux are are easier to use than Windows, you know you've screwed up and fortunately they did a course correction with Windows 10. But there needs to be a lot more course corrections out there over a wide variety of devices. Touch screen should be one of the alternative ways to interface with tech, not designed as the only way.

[@jasourwnjl]

Not to mention when these screens inevitably wear out they will suddenly destroy a host of functions and cost a small fortune to repair.

[@SchalkNeethling]

Thank you so much for this inspirational and incredibly important talk, Christine! This is indeed the responsibility of each and everyone of us, especially those who make the products and services that people rely on everyday.

[@ringdoorbell3223]

Sharon I'm one of those older people now, but I partly blame it on my late parents who never saw fit to buy their only child a computer (money was not the issue). I used the computer in the public library for over 20 years, until I finally bought a little netbook, now obsolete. With a computer my father and I could have learned together, and it would have helped made his activist stuff much easier.

[@sqsuziq]

God bless YOU!!!

[@acquavella]

This is great Christine. Amazing initiative. Thank you

[@dmbenitez]

A really thought provoking presentation, thank you for sharing

[@janicerivera5570]

There's a huge market that tech has ignored. If they're wise, that'll change

[@Always.Smarter]

it's not by accident. it's just not financially viable to prioritize a minority of people who generally lack an interest in your product and have a lower customer lifetime value.

[@YaMaMa2_5]

‏لكل من يقرأ : ‏الله يبشركم بفرحه ماحسبتوا لها حساب وينور لكم دربكم ويحقق أمنياتكم ويحفظكم من كل شر ومن كل تعب ومن كل هم ويجعل الأيام الجايه لكم فرح وإبتسامتكم ماتغيب ويسعدكم ويوفقكم ويرضيكم ويرزقكم من حيث لا تحتسبون ‏ويشرح صدركم بالايمان ويجعلكم من أهل الفردوس الاعلى

[@kalrandom7387]

I'm in my mid fifties, and every time I finally get comfortable using an app, it gets "new and improved."

[@llIllIIIlllIIIIIIIII]

Where can I apply to TED ? I believe that I have talent

[@llIllIIIlllIIIIIIIII]

@@aqua3fox ok , I wish you all the best 👍

[@DanH-u3f]

It's especially bad in new cars for seniors.

[@shadyws310]

That’s cool 😎

[@mgailp]

While not yet elderly, I am legally blind and apps are so not designed to be usable if you cannot see small print on a white background. Yes, some have a dark mode BUT most make things disappear, like check boxes (this is also true on computers). If the web browser on my phone can be stretched, why can't that be built into most apps!

[@NiginaSaloyiddinova]

Бриллианты

[@143prettycool]

Still don't know were to search our history in tech.any help regarding this.

[@ayanshaikh-tq8te]

Nice

[@janklaas6885]

📍8:55

[@harumskarum3481]

It's really difficult for my grandparents. They are all dead. Talk about a challenge!

[@Mightydruncs]

Apple has been gobto for senoirs for the past decade... this lady has a good geart but this has been doneeeeeeeee

[@wrestlingjesus2893]

LOL NO TIITS

[@69Solo]

Nice body!

[@DonBrowningRacing]

Let’s make a deal. I already understand you because I’ve been there. At your age I started my very successful business. I learned about my customers and never felt superior or sorry for them. I could feel sorry for you but I don’t. I can bring you up to speed but it’s not charity, it’s just business. I understand why life is so tough on you 29 year old people. First you must understand that every stage of life is equally valuable. Now gain some humility if you want to do business with me, or anyone. There is an enormous amount of worthless tech that is not remotely valuable to me. Get to learning young lady!

[@troyfiorillo5403]

This seems like an entirely unwarranted harsh response to someone with only benevolence and no condescension.

[@kyledock4470]

The saggies

[@jason666king]

OK boomer

[@narrativegatherer3128]

Down the gutter, zoomer