Swipe a Screen or Say the Word: Older Adults’ Preferences for Information-seeking with Touchscreen and Voice-User Interfaces

Over a decade ago, the introduction of touchscreens greatly enhanced older adults’ access to information online. Today, voice-user interfaces (VUIs) promise a similar revolution. However, relatively little is known about older adults’ preferences for using touchscreens versus VUIs to access different kinds of information. In this lab and interview study, older adults used both a touchscreen (tablet) and VUI (smart speaker) to search for various types of information requiring different levels of exploration and judgment. Participants found the VUI generally easy and efficient for obtaining simple information, but they critiqued its value for providing more in-depth information. The touchscreen seemed to offer greater control over accessing information that was of sufficient breadth and in preferred forms or presentations, and which participants felt they could trust. Further, the VUI raised interesting concerns about privacy. These findings suggest that older adults have clear preferences and want to be selective in how they access and use online information. When designing for older adults, focusing solely on efficiency and ease-of-use risks creating simplistic solutions that overlook people's preferences for control over information access and use.