Key Barriers for Involving Persons with Dementia in Design of Assistive Information and Communication Technology

The globally growing prevalence of dementia is increasing the demand for assistive information and communication technology (ICT). However, persons with cognitive impairments associated with dementia are rarely given an active role in design of technologies that can assist them in their daily lives. This paper discusses three key barriers that need to be overcome in order to give persons with dementia the same status as healthy users in user-centered design. The three barriers are related to: (1) the need for reappraising dementia and attitudes towards affected individuals; (2) the need to identify the added value that persons with dementia can bring to design of assistive ICT; and (3) the need for effective techniques that can help elicit experiences and requirements from the diagnosis group in the context of design.