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Mobility Aid Design for the Elderly (MADE): a design thinking approach using a smart walker as a case study

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Listed:
  • Baoyi Zhang

    (Xiamen University of Technology)

  • Zongsheng Wang

    (Xiamen University of Technology)

  • Zhe Li

    (Osaka University)

Abstract

Assistive technologies (ATs) are essential for promoting social equity, particularly as the global population ages. This study addresses the persistent issue of high abandonment rates in mobility aids, specifically smart walkers (SWs), by developing a systematic design thinking methodology called Mobility Aid Design for the Elderly (MADE). The MADE approach integrates the Stanford Design Thinking Model (SDTM) with specific design methods tailored for SWs. It includes stages of empathy, define, ideate, prototype, and test, each providing actionable steps to ensure user-centered design. The methodology was applied in a case study involving 20 participants from urban settings, including elderly users and designers, using a combination of random, snowball, and purposive sampling. Interviews utilized the Evaluation Grid Method (EGM) and were analyzed using Quantification Theory Type I (QTT1) and TRIZ. The study found significant cognitive differences in preferences between elderly users and designers, particularly in esthetics and digital features. These findings were used to generate innovative design guidelines to reduce these cognitive gaps and improve user acceptance of SWs. The paper discusses the need for continuous innovation in assistive technology design to enhance social inclusion and reduce inequality. The study’s limitations, such as the use of images instead of physical products, and its urban focus, are acknowledged, suggesting areas for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Baoyi Zhang & Zongsheng Wang & Zhe Li, 2024. "Mobility Aid Design for the Elderly (MADE): a design thinking approach using a smart walker as a case study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04007-z
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04007-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marina Zannella & Andrea Principi & Davide Lucantoni & Francesco Barbabella & Mirko Di Rosa & Antía Domínguez-Rodríguez & Marco Socci, 2021. "Active Ageing: The Need to Address Sub-National Diversity. An Evidence-Based Approach for Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Abdul Zubar Hameed & Jayakrishna Kandasamy & Sakthivel Aravind Raj & Majed Abubakr Baghdadi & Muhammad Atif Shahzad, 2022. "Sustainable Product Development Using FMEA ECQFD TRIZ and Fuzzy TOPSIS," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-29, November.
    3. Hao Ji & Yingying Yu & Xue-Bo Chen, 2022. "A Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Study on the Performance of Age-Friendly Digital Retrofit Based on User Experience: Take the “Elder Mode†App as an Example," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2022, pages 1-13, November.
    4. Xue Gong & Zhuen Guo & Zhongqu Xie, 2022. "Using Kansei Engineering for the Design Thinking Framework: Bamboo Pen Holder Product Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Baoyi Zhang, 2024. "Research progress and intellectual structure of design for digital equity (DDE): A bibliometric analysis based on citespace," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.
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