Harmonised Unified Web Interface

The World Wide Web (Web) is a vast information and communication resource which is now seen as vital for commerce, social interaction, welfare, and citizen empowerment; however, it still remains 'off-limits' to the older user. Indeed, the novelty of the anecdotal 'silver--surfer' suggests that Web use among older people is more myth than reality. So, while many user groups including those with marked accessibility problems see the Web as socially liberating and life enhancing, the vast majority of older users shy away from its use. Our past experience in this field leads us to believe that older users have a very particular set of needs, and it is these needs which bar access, and precisely these needs which have not yet been comprehensively or holistically investigated.

Firstly, we assert that high-complexity interaction, defined by choice and flexibility, is the key problem. Choice and flexibility are normally seen as positive in that, from a technology perspective, 'more' adds-value; however we disagree and propose a counter intuitive investigation of the benefits of the opposing principles centred around inflexibility and constraint. Secondly, this complex interaction has never been viewed or investigated holistically by addressing the complete browsing experience of older users including the hardware platform, user agent, and Web content in combination; as opposed to just distinct parts. Indeed, we assert that the very problem lays at the confluence of the technologies used to present the interface as opposed to just one part such as the Web content or the user agent.

A student suitable for the PhD should have a background in computer science, human computer interaction, human factors or the like. They should possess creative problem-solving skills and be able to interact with people for human evaluations and experimentation. However, you should also be committed to progressing your career in human factors to made with specific focus on web ergonomics and accessibility.