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OCR for page 64
4
Research Gaps, Opportunities, and
Priorities
A review of the literature and collective components made by the
participants in the workshop led to the conclusion that there are
very large gaps in the basic knowledge needed to mount a concerted
attack on human factors problems ~ aging.
There exist enormous opportunities for improving the lives of
older people through the application of human factors analysis and
engineering. For example, there is great promise in putting powerful
electronic and communication technologies to work ~ the homes of
older people or In facilities dedicated to older adults, and the tech-
nology ~ both easily available and affordable (e.g., the emergency re-
motely activated phone beeper to call for medical Instance). These
Opportunities can be realized, however, only if the needs of the elderly
are accounted for in the design of these systems. Similarly, technolog-
ical developments should make it possible for older people to remain
in their homes rather than having to be placed in institutions, but
this is a goal that call become a reality only if we understand how
people spend their time at home and what types of difficulties they
encounter there.
Our conclusion is that there are three basic arenas of opportunity
for research: (1) distributional data on activities and problems in
conjunction with (2) task analyze and establishment of functional
norms of characteristics and abilities and (3) basic science.
DISTRIBUTIONAL DATA
As suggested in Chapter 3, we need detailed information on how
64
OCR for page 65
RESEARCH GAPS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND PRIORITIES
65
people of various age groups spend their tune. We need to know what
types of activities people engage in, how frequently they engage in
these activities, and what types of problems they encounter when
attempting to pursue them. We also need to know why they choose
not to engage ~ certain activities. Such data can be gathered initially
through interviews, questionnaires, and analysis of existing records,
such as accident reports.
TAS1[ ANAIYSIS
To fully understand how age-related changer in function affect
the performance of tasks and activities, more ~n-depth analysis of
these activities is required. Task analysis is a comparison between
the Lemmas generated by ~ task or situation and the capabilities
of the person(~) involved in the task/situation. This comparison al-
lows for a specific identification and analysm of problems likely to
be encountered in task performance. This analysm can, in turn, lead
to the development and testing of intervention strategies. For ex-
ample, analyzing the v~ual-motor problems that actuary contribute
to automobile driving quality and safety would almost surely lead
directly to the development of visual testing instruments and proce-
cures that would be a tract improvement on today's techniques. Using
task-analysm methodology would not require scientific or technolog-
ical breakthrough; rather, useful results could be achieved based on
thorough analysm and concerted iterative development.
To thoroughly understand problems and develop design solu-
tion~, more complete information is needed on how capabilities
change ninth age, particularly normative data on characteristics and
capabilities across the age span. Better suthropometric and biome-
chanical data for older populations are also needed, as well as infor-
mation for other functions, such as memory and reaction time.
BASIC SCIENCE OF AGING AND BE:lIAVIOR
The third arena for research opportunity is basic science. There
is a need for improved knowledge of sensory and perceptual abilities
with respect to the performance of tasks or the use of equipment
in particular environments. For example, we need to understand
better how the decline ~ logical and spatial cognition that occurs
with aging affects the ability to use computer technology. Similarly,
increased knowledge of hearing abilities is needed in order to design
OCR for page 66
66 HUMAN FACTORS Rl3SEIARCII NEEDS FOR AN AGING POPU~UON
better hearing abbe. Co~r~rnerciaDy available hearing aids employ
surprisingly primitive technology, one that is not much informed by
detain of the different kind of hearing lom or by analysis of the
deficit ~ a given m~ividual. A whole spectrum of new testing and
device technology is warranted and will require extensive human
factors attention.
However, prior to the evaluation of any such new technologies,
art effort ~ needed to understand more fully the nature of cognitive
and perceptual age deficits and the kinds of prostheses that can
help overcome them. It ~ likely that many difficulties associated
with aging stem from similar underlying causes ~ the interaction of
changed abilities with clanged circumstances. This suggests that the
resolution of any one problem is likely to point the way to resolutions
for many others.
One particularly important domain is the analysis of cognitive
functions, such as learning, memory, perceptual recognition, judg-
ment, and problem coloring. The research literature (e.g., Salthouse,
1987) suggests that there ~ not a universal decline of cognitive skins
with age. The data indicate that, while some cognitive skills deteri-
orate, others remain constant or improve with aging. In many tasks
it appears likely that people are able to compensate for aggregated
declines by substituting skim that have not deteriorated. Salthouse
has provided a good example of this in his examination of typing.
Much more thorough investigation of changes in cognitive functions
~d of potential adaptive strategies ~ warranted Wren that many
of today's jobs are charactet~zed by a large information-processing
component.
PRIORIES
Our judgment of the order for research on human factors Ed
aging ~ expressed by the order In which we have discussed them here.
We think the most ~rnport~t priority ~ to gather good distributional
data on tasks, problems, ~d abilities and to perform detmied task
analysis where the benefit is likely to be the greatest (e.g., daily living
activities). This kind of information is the foundation on which the
development of practical solutions wiB rest.
Detailed knowledge about the problems actually encountered by
older adults ~ of critical importance. Many effective human fac-
tors responses almost certainly exist already and could be put into
effect by existing health and service agencies with dramatic eject.
OCR for page 67
REHEAR GAPS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND PRIORITIES
67
Commercial interests, ~ well, would be quick to ~rnplement design
solutions to import ant widespread needs once they were known. Hu-
man factors researchers would respond rapidly to the challenge of
identified problems. Therefore, what we call for ~ a set of data
collection activities that would provide information on functional ca-
pabilities over task ecologies and the initiation of average longitudinal
research to establish age-related norms for ergonomic parameter of
particular relevance, such as dynamic strength, motion range, Cocos
motion ~d balance, fine motor control, overhead reach, speed, and
twisting strength. These efforts should be supplemented by detailed
task analyses for the whole range of activities of daily living, in-
cluding, for example, bathing, dressing, shopping, reading, watching
TV, telephoning, writing, walking, and driving. Surreys must not
neglect to ask aging people themselves about their dissatisfactions
with their enviromnents and abilities and about their conceptions of
a better-designed world.
We see no reason, however, why the three elements of needed
research problem assessment, human factors analysm and engmeer-
mg, and basic science should not be pursued vigorously at the same
time, since there is no strict hierarchical dependency among these
activities. Moreover j since there already exist sources of Finding
(though not entirely adequate) for basic and applied research of these
km~, what ~ most needed ~ an orientation of research interests to"
ward aspects that are especially relevant to our aging population.
Thus, for example, although research on rehabilitative medicine and
prosthesis eng~neer~g ~ very active, it could profit enormously from
greater mput from human factom anadysis, evaluation, and design
and Tom specific consideration of the rehabilitative or aid problems
preferment among old people. The field of cogmti~re science ~ To
in a state of great activity =d rapid adduce. It would be possible
to take advantage of opportunities for advancing science, ~ well as
for contributing to a socially significant problem, by paying explicit
attention to the differential cognitive effects of aging.
Representative terms from entire chapter:
research gaps
