The GIRDA project (Gameplay to Inspire Digital Adoption) addresses the issue of reluctance on the part of older individuals to interact with digital products. The project is intended to assist both older individuals reluctant (or anxious) about engaging with devices, and help those who work with them to explore digital products. Our approach involves using social games as a form of a smoother introduction. The smooth introduction not only facilitates an initial impression about the digital world, it also creates a supportive and informative social environment. Our work to date has shown that the use of social games has considerable benefits both in teaching basic skills and in encouraging new users to feel more confident.

The first round of the study involved a total of 120 people between the ages of 57 and 96. These participants were recruited by the project partners in Austria, Macedonia, Slovenia, and in the UK.

‘I quite like this game. Can I take it home, it’s fun!’

See: GIRDA to learn more about the project.