Older People as Early Adopters and Their Unexpected and Innovative Use of New Technologies: Deviating from Technology Companies’ Scripts

Abstract

Technology companies, when considering the design of their products or services, tend to configure users by scripting appropriate user interactions with their technology. Older users are often seen as laggards who take no part in innovation processes. The scripts for technology use planned by technology companies rarely take older users into account. Hence the role of older adults in participating in innovation processes, challenging scripts and reconfiguring technologies has not been well researched. We present four cases in which the role of older adults in innovation processes is examined: as early adopters (case 1); in playing an active role in deviating from technology companies’ scripts (cases 2 and 3); or in clarifying these scripts (case 4). Finally, we present our conclusions and implications for future innovative practices, focusing on the importance for technology companies not only to involve younger, but also older people when designing new technologies with underlying scripts that are useful in their everyday life.