The Non Browser: helping older novice computer users to access the web

The difficulties that older adults encounter browsing the web have been reported by a number of researchers. Hitherto, research has focused on improving content with little attention being given to the effects that the browser itself may have on the difficulties people encounter. We report on the development of an alternative browser which was designed to ameliorate many of the barriers that this group encounter to web use. The Non Browser was designed as far as possible from first principles, questioning the various metaphors currently used in accessing the web. A qualitative evaluation process illustrated that the Non Browser was both easier to understand and less off-putting than the standard application.