Role: UX Researcher & Facilitator

Team: Academic researchers, graduate assistants, local mediators

Timeline: 6+ months

Methods: Ethnographic observation, Semi-structured interviews, Participatory facilitation

📌 Context & Problem

Older adults often face barriers to digital engagement—including low digital confidence, cognitive/physical limitations, and mistrust of online systems. While many efforts aim to improve usability, digital security and privacy literacy remain a neglected area, especially for aging and rural populations.

This project explored how community-based learning environments—specifically the “Smartphone Café” program in small towns in Germany—can support older adults in building digital confidence and security awareness.

🎯 Research Goals

1. Understand older adults’ attitudes toward digital technologies and online safety
2. Identify how peer-led learning and social trust affect digital confidence
3. Surface design implications for inclusive, ongoing digital security education

🔬 Methods

👥 1. Ethnographic Fieldwork

• Participated in monthly Smartphone Café sessions (2.5 hours each)
• Informal observation of digital behaviors, questions, social interactions
• Focused on real-world support moments: email scams, app confusion, password strategies

🗣️ 2. Semi-Structured Interviews