I jumped straight into features like bigger fonts and louder volume, which felt embarrassingly surface-level the moment I said it out loud.
Start by clarifying the goal: are we designing a phone for all elderly users or a specific segment? Then structure your answer around user needs, product features, and success metrics, emphasizing simplicity, accessibility, and emotional design. Show how you would prioritize features and iterate based on feedback.
Pro tip: Avoid stereotyping elderly users as tech-illiterate; instead, focus on age-related changes (vision, hearing, dexterity) and diverse needs. Mention that many elderly users are active and want to stay connected, so design for empowerment, not just assistance.
Ask clarifying questions to define the target user (e.g., age range, tech-savviness, living situation) and the core problem (e.g., ease of use, safety, connectivity). This shows you can navigate ambiguity.
Empathize with elderly users by considering physical (vision, hearing, dexterity), cognitive (memory, learning), and emotional (confidence, independence) needs. Use research or personas to ground your design.
List potential features (e.g., large buttons, voice control, emergency SOS) and prioritize using a framework like RICE or MoSCoW. Focus on high-impact, low-complexity features first.
Propose metrics like task completion rate, user satisfaction, and retention. Suggest an iterative approach with user testing and feedback loops to refine the product.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.