Original title: Design principles to Increase Technology Self-efficacy for Older Australians with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Older Carers
Snezna Bizilj Schmidt, Nathan D'Cunha, Stephen Isbel, Blooma John +1 · August 2026
As the world ages, more people face physical or mental decline. Technology can help them live independently, but we do not fully understand what motivates older people with memory problems to keep using digital tools. Researchers interviewed older Australians with mild cognitive impairment and their carers to find out what helps or hurts their tech use. They found that older adults want to use technology to maintain their independence, autonomy, and quality of life. Knowing how to use devices and having self-efficacyYour belief that you can successfully do something, like using a new app or website.—which means believing in your own ability to succeed—are key enablers. However, devices and apps change constantly. This continuous change acts as a disabler because it lowers people's IT literacy and confidence. To fix this, the authors created two core design principles and guidelines based on psychology theories. These design rules aim to boost user confidence and reduce the harms of constant updates.
Imagine learning to drive a familiar route to the grocery store. You know every turn and feel confident getting there alone. Now imagine that every few months, the road signs change without warning, and traffic lights are moved to different corners. You start to dread the trip because you never know what to expect. Over time you feel less able to drive at all. In this paper, constant technology changes are like those shifting road signs, and the design rules are a way to keep the route stable and predictable so people can keep driving with confidence.
Older adults with mild cognitive impairment want to use technology to live independently, but constant software updates and new interfaces keep resetting their confidence. Designers can now build tools that intentionally boost a person's belief in their own ability, rather than accidentally undermining it. This means more people might adopt and keep using helpful technologies rather than giving up.
The study is qualitative and based on a specific sample of older Australians with MCI and their carers, so findings may not generalize to all cognitive impairments or cultural contexts. The design principles are proposed but not empirically tested in this paper; their effectiveness at increasing self-efficacy or adoption rates is not yet measured.
Ask anything about this paper. Answers come from its abstract, and say so when the abstract doesn't cover your question.
Design principles to Increase Technology Self-efficacy for Older Australians with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Older Carers — Snezna Bizilj Schmidt, Nathan D'Cunha, Stephen Isbel et al.
Abstract licence: CC0
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper. This is a preprint, so it hasn't necessarily been peer reviewed.