高齡者使用數位化產品之使用性初探研究－－以「智慧藥盒與服藥提醒系統」為例

A Usability Study of Elders Use of Digital Products: Smart Pill Box System

我國人口結構由高齡化社會(aging society)逐漸轉變為高齡社會(aged society)，高齡者的需求受到產官學研各界的重視。科技的研發期望能輔助高齡者維持獨立生活的能力並過得健康且舒適。然而高齡者大多缺乏使用科技產品的經驗，如何讓數位化產品更方便高齡者使用，更符合高齡者的需求與期待，已成為高齡者數位化產品研發之重點議題。本研究旨在針對高齡者使用數位化產品之使用性進行初探性研究，透過邀請高齡者對「智慧藥盒與服藥提醒系統」進行使用性測試、評分與訪談，探索高齡者操作該產品時可能發生的使用性問題，並瞭解高齡者對於該產品的需求與期待。研究結果發現高齡者肯定智慧藥盒在緊急求救、提醒吃藥和找尋藥盒等基本必須功能的重要性，以及對於個人用藥行為的有效性，也能學會基本的操作，但也同時提出建議，希望此類設計在功能方面應以單純化為精神，並加強部份操作程序的易用性設計。本研究據此歸納高齡者使用數位化產品之研究與實務建議；此外，本研究之使用性評估方法應可提供數位化產品研發人員作為參考，以提升數位化產品之使用性與高齡者之生活福祉。

With the population structure change, Taiwan has been gradually shifting from the aging society to an aged society in this decade. Therefore, living needs of the elder population have caught utmost attention from government, industry, as well as academia. To facilitate improvement of elders' living ability and quality of life, technology is often considered as a solution for senior citizens to live an independent, healthy and comfortable life. However, a general lack of experiences of the elders toward technological tools usually results in hesitating about using these new electronic or digital products. This study therefore is sought to develop understandings of what kind of design the genrontechnological products possess would meet the needs and wants of, and be easy of use for the senior citizens. The current study explores the usability of 'Smart Pill Box System', a digital pill organizer and reminder product, and to understand expectations of senior citizens toward this kind of product. Results of this usability study show that the elder participants confirmed the importance and effectiveness of primary functions of this Smart Pill Box System including Emergency Alert, Medication Reminder and Pillbox Searcher. Although they all learned how to operate this system without problems, they also reported feedbacks for improvement are mainly about the simplification and easiness of user interface design. This usability study lastly concludes by the suggestions for both researches and practices in gerontechnology . Meanwhile, it is hoped that results of this study can be extensively applied especially in digital product design to advance the usability of gerontechnology as well as to improve quality of life of elders.