Yabelana: Designing and Introducing an Age-Inclusive and Context-Specific Information and Communication (ICT) Ecosystem

Abstract Rapid developments in technological applications present as yet underexplored opportunities to assist with the impact of population ageing and limited resources. We adopted a sociotechnical paradigm—interlinking the social and technological—to inform the design and introduction, in four phases, of Yabelana (‘sharing of information’), an age-inclusive and context-specific ICT ecosystem. First, drawing on data from the we-DELIVER research project, we defined the situatedness of a cohort of older participants, their needs and preferences in relation to cell phone technology and social systems (intergenerational relations) facilitating their ICT use. Second, the three-part development of the ICT ecosystem was approached pragmatically. Third, to introduce the Yabelana app and USSD code we involved student fieldworkers familiar with the language and culture of the participants. Fourth, the process of collecting, analysing and reporting the fieldworkers’ reflections and older individuals’ experiences informed recommendations for further improvements of Yabelana and of technology artefacts. We conclude that a user-centred and bottom-up approach is not a quick fix for promoting age-inclusiveness in technology. Rather, ICT use is the outcome of a complex combination of older users’ dynamic involvement with technology, their diverse needs and preferences, facilitating social systems (e.g. intergenerational), and broader sociocultural contexts.