W I S E Connect
Optimizing Search & Filter Experience for Older Adults
My Role
UX Designer
UX Researcher
Timeline
Sep 2023 - May 2024
Focuses
UX/UI Design, UX Research, Usability Testing
Tools
Figma, Google Workspace, Zoom, Discord, Slack, Notion
WISE Connect is our free and easy-to-use website that helps older adults seamlessly access community services, resources, and activities. Co-designed with over 200 seniors, it simplifies independent aging while ensuring WCAG AA accessibility, multilingual support, and upcoming AI features for an inclusive user experience.
OVERVIEW
W I S E Cities is a female-run startup focused on designing accessible technology to address the issue of social isolation among the elderly.
Throughout my personal and educational journey, I have been fortunate to receive guidance and support from many older adults whose wisdom shaped my path, and this project is my way of giving back. As a Product Designer and Researcher at WISE Cities since 2023, I’m proud to help create solutions that empower older adults to age independently. Every day, I’m inspired to work with a team that uses innovative technology to tackle social challenges and make a real impact, especially for communities often overlooked in the tech world.
A cause close to my 💛
THE CHALLENGE
How might we design a search and filter function that helps older adults find what they need with ease and confidence?
Many search tools are cluttered and confusing, with small text, complex filters, and overwhelming results. This makes it hard for older adults to find the resources they need, often leading to frustration and social isolation.
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
Our team recognized the need for firsthand insights into the information-seeking experiences and needs of older adults. After conducting remote interviews with senior citizens, we opted for the affinity diagram to synthesize qualitative data and extract patterns.
Our research shows that older adults value independence and want easy access to quality resources. They have social opportunities but need better ways to filter and select them. While they can navigate the internet on their own, they seek more organized, user-friendly technology.
Me conducting a remote interview with a participant.
OBJECTIVES
Our search and filter tool must be simple and intuitive while balancing search with exploration.
Based on research findings, we defined the following objectives to tailor our tool to the specific needs of older adults:
Users should find information within 1–3 clicks, prioritizing recognition over recall.
Provide both keyword search for precision and category browsing to encourage discovery.
Design an intuitive filtering system that refines options by accessibility, time, location, format, topic, and cost, reducing information overload.
My proposed sketches earned approval from the manager and team members. They featured a map view for location-based search, a 'Save Search' feature for quick access to past searches, and a comprehensive filter system including various criteria such as distance, date, time, cost, language, transportation, and accessibility.
Click on the images to view in full-screen.
IDEATION SKETCHES
We ensured readability and WCAG Level AA compliance by using high contrast, vibrant colors, a minimum text size of 20pt, and prominent buttons for easy interaction.
We introduced “binder” tabs that allow users to switch between categories and topics, mimicking physical organizers familiar to many older adults.
We incorporated drop-down menus to minimize scrolling and create a more streamlined browsing experience.
A comprehensive Sort & Filter menu allowed users to refine search results by date, time, cost, language, and accessibility.
1. Landing Page - Categories
2. Landing Page - Topics
4. Search Result Page
3. Filter Page
INITIAL PROTOTYPE
Following a mobile-first approach, our initial prototype prioritized accessibility while balancing efficiency and exploration.
USABILITY TESTING
Our usability testing included both in-person and remote sessions with over 50 older adult participants across multiple sprints and iterations. We also designed and tested the desktop version to ensure cross-platform accessibility.
The results were strong from the beginning, with a 100% task success rate. Our refinements focused on improving efficiency and reducing task completion time. The next section will explore the major and most impactful design improvements driven by user feedback and performance metrics.
Tips on design and test with older adults 💡
Accessibility first: Use larger fonts, larger buttons, high-contrast colors, and simple navigation to accommodate vision, mobility, and cognitive impairments. Prioritize voice recognition and screen reader support.
Clear and simple language: Avoid technical jargon (too complex!) and oversimplification (not clear enough!). Provide just the right amount of information—enough for clarity without overwhelming users.
Clean yet bold visuals: Keep designs uncluttered for easy understanding while using vibrant colors to make interactions fun and engaging.
Tailored usability testing: The think-aloud protocol may not work for older adults due to cognitive load. Use short, direct questions and prioritize in-person testing to observe non-verbal cues and gestures.
Our WISE Cities team (front row) and older adult participants at a research event. All participants have provided consent for the use of their photo.
DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS
1. Search Landing Page
Early Design 🛠
“Binder” tabs mimic physical organizers familiar to older adults.
Drop-down menus minimize scrolling.
Option 🅰️
Four buttons—Filter by Listing Type, Filter by Topic, Filter by Provider, and More Filters.
This design breaks the filtering system into smaller, digestible chunks for a more focused approach.
Option 🅱️
Two buttons—Filter and Sort.
This design minimized the number of clicks and doesn’t require any recalling.
Final Design 🎯
Only category-based browsing is kept, with the option to filter by topic.
Scrolling is prioritized over extra taps.
Although participants successfully used the binder tabs, we observed that they did not engage with them as naturally as other features like search-by-keyword and the filtering system. We decided to remove the topic list and kept only the category list to avoid clutter and information overload. Users can still browse by topic through the filtering system.
We also replaced drop-down menus with a scrolling interface, as we learned through feedback that while users dislike both excessive scrolling and excessive clicking, scrolling is generally preferred, especially among older adults who face motor limitations when tapping precise targets.
After implementing these design changes, task completion time improved by 21%, and user satisfaction increased by 15%! 🎉
With fewer steps and browsing options, users completed tasks 21% faster. This aligns with the Hick’s Law in UX design, which states that the more options a person has, the longer it takes to make a decision. User ratings also increased from 3.9 to 4.5 out of 5, with participants finding the final design more engaging, attractive, and straightforward. They felt it effectively showcased the platform’s abundant options without being overwhelming.
2. Filter & Sort
During early testing, we noticed that although older adults admired the comprehensiveness of the filtering system, they still opted to enter detailed keywords or browse by categories rather than applying filters. When adapting the mobile design to desktop, we explored breaking the filtering system into smaller, more digestible parts to improve usability and encourage diverse search methods. We designed and tested two design variations as follows:
We proceeded with the two-button design for a more streamlined experience, prioritizing recognition over recall, a key UX principle for older adults. 🙌
Some participants found Option A (four-button design) more structured and organized.
However, 55% preferred Option B (two-button design), as it required fewer clicks and was easier to navigate.
Users also expressed concerns about remembering which filters were under which button in the four-button version.
🧓🏽💬
“The two-button, you can see everything at once. The four-button is confusing because you have to keep clicking.”
👵🏾💬
“The four-button is more categorized and broken down. I like it to be more focused. It was easier to use.”
👴🏻💬
“How do you remind people what's under each filter menu? I don’t remember. I had to search multiple times.”
CONCLUSION
The search and filter system was successfully handed off to our development team, built, and piloted in January 2025. We continue to develop other key features around it, such as search by map and search by calendar, while refining it based on user feedback to ensure it remains accessible and helpful for older adults.
This journey has been an incredible learning experience, shaping my academic, professional, and personal growth. Through hand-on research and design work, I’ve not only deepened my expertise but also witnessed the real impact of our efforts. It’s been especially touching to hear older adults express how much our work means to them.
I currently continue my work with WISE Cities as a Product Designer and Researcher. I focus on designing and testing new features while training to become a Product Owner. Beyond the digital space, I actively contribute to the startup’s community efforts, including demo sessions and social events, to help raise awareness about our platform and its mission.
🚀 Project State
💗 Personal Impact
🏃🏻♀️➡️ Future Direction
This portfolio is best viewed on a desktop. Please visit on a larger screen for the best experience. :-)
