Design Research on the Demands of Older Adults: A User-Centered Case Study of Shoes

Abstract

Older people’s foot shape and physiological characteristics are very different from those of younger people. It is difficult for older adults to choose appropriate shoes in the market. This paper explores a design method for shoes for older adults who take part in activities and puts forward a feasible design strategy combined with the actual situation. The purpose of this study was to promote a shoe design strategy for older adults, to avoid inconveniences brought by unfit shoes and improve their quality of life. Two questionnaire surveys (a random questionnaire and a targeted questionnaire) were conducted to determine the demands of the users. According to the random questionnaire, three groups of older adults were identified based on their activity intensity: 1) no activity, 2) low-intensity activity, and 3) high-intensity activity. The targeted questionnaire aimed to screen the participants with activities to analyze their shoe needs and preferences. Five in-depth interviews were conducted to classify the demands on different occasions of the target group. Five reasonable scenarios of hiking, traveling, dancing, walking, and formal occasions were summarized according to older adults’ demands for shoes, and the demand models were developed respectively. To illustrate the feasibility of this method, we designed a pair of summer sports shoes for men based on the demand model and the foot morphology of older adults. The shoes designed by this method could better care for older adults’ foot health and meet their physiological and psychological needs.