With regard to demographics, I have usually touched on two topics: on the one hand, that the younger generations think differently and therefore have different needs when it comes to organizing their lives. On the other hand, I always pointed out that the 50+ should not all be lumped together (which, strictly speaking, I probably did with the boys...). There are certainly older people who are fully comfortable with the new technologies. And when you look at who is creating innovations, they are more often representatives of older generations and not generations Y or Z.
Especially since older generations are an important consumer group. The first time older people got involved in product development was the design of the Mercedes A-Class. In this case, the seats were deliberately set higher to make it easier to get in and out. In the meantime, there are countless products designed for older generations. In view of an aging society, it can be assumed that numerous innovations and innovations will continue to focus on older people in the future.
But how could existing products and services be designed in such a way that they serve all generations?
One development that has always puzzled me is that of absolutely small and invisible hearing aids. When I had to watch my then 81-year-old father struggling with these pinhead-sized devices when inserting and changing batteries, I thought to myself: This is where the design goes past the largest group of customers. Of course, older people are also vain, but when they decide to buy a hearing aid, they certainly want to be able to handle it alone — even with limited fine motor skills.
We all probably still have the almost satirical situation Remembering that the first vaccination appointments for the 70+ age group should best be made online. The entire procedure was so complicated that it was no longer comprehensible even for many younger people. In other words, the design was done past the target group again.
By the way, younger people also appreciate it when a process is uncomplicated and self-explanatory. That is why almost all online shops have adopted the principles introduced by Amazon. Such processes can now also be observed with online applications. If a young person can submit an application simply by forwarding their Xing or LinkedIn profile, they will probably not be able to laboriously fill out a long Internet questionnaire with the same data.
When we broaden our vision, we see Megatrends turn to and connect them with the Silver Society: What could result from this? Take mobility, for example: The concept of car sharing has already made many people, including older people, consider whether they will only take a car when they actually need it. Since the car-sharing offering is constantly being expanded, the concept may well work in big cities, especially in view of the increasing shortage of parking spaces.
However, what could mobility offers for even older people look like? You want to be mobile to get where you need to go. As an elderly person, this primarily includes shopping, friends and relatives, and doctors. Those who are still mobile themselves either use public transport or do car sharing. Those who are no longer mobile could make use of delivery services. There are now a variety of concepts here, for example for large purchases with lengthy pre-planning and small purchases with delivery within the next half hour. However, there is still room for improvement when it comes to person-to-person visits. Home visits by doctors have become rather rare, particularly in big cities. The Internet doctor, who can give an initial diagnosis, helps here first. But not all seniors can and would like to take advantage of such offers. But what would it be like if the robot idea, which large logistics centers are already using, could be used for people, for example as a self-driving taxi or, in the future, in care? According to newspaper reports, the Baby Boomers alone, who will retire in the coming years, will need 500,000 nurses in the future. Where they should come from — I have no idea. I myself am already determined to be supported by a robot in old age. Now some will say: That is impersonal! Counterquestion: What does personal mean? Listening and thinking along? Tackle? Be there when help is needed? There are many things that make a robot more patient than a human.
Perhaps that is too revolutionary a concept. What I wanted to address here is: How can you review your product or service offering for the benefit of the older generation? The answer to the question of whether what already exists can be adapted or whether new offers need to be defined in order to meet this ever-expanding group is decisive. People who are still fully working and have completely different needs than people who are no longer working are responsible for the design. Just ask a few senior citizens how they would use your product and where they see a need for improvement. Now I'm sure you'll get the Spot with the iPad in mind. What if that were possible? What if you could actually read a recipe in the appropriate font size on the iPad while cutting the ingredients on the screen?
As you can see, there is a lot of potential here for spinning mills and imagination, which can result in new business ideas. If you would like assistance with these considerations: Just give us a call!
