As the nation’s Baby Boomers enter their golden years, they will invariably begin to experience the disabilities associated with advanced age. Two recent articles got us thinking about how older members of our population encounter the world and how we can adapt our presentations to their needs.
According to Discover Magazine, researchers at MIT have developed a so-called “Age Suit”–AGNES, or the Age Gain Now Empathy System–which helps wearers feel the effects of old age through “braces that make your arms stiff, a helmet that makes your spine curve uncomfortably, and glasses that make small print hard to read.”
Wearing AGNES lets researchers feel what it’s like to navigate the world as a senior.
According to this story from NPR, groups of teenagers across the country are helping seniors learn to use computers, the internet, email, and even Twitter. Before they begin tutoring seniors, students at Pace University in New York undergo sensitivity training. They stuff cotton balls in their ears, tape two fingers together, and wear specially prepared glasses to simulate impaired vision.
Now it’s Your Turn
Most of us do not know what it’s like to live with a disability. To make your own (albeit less sophisticated) AGNES suit and experience impairment in a small way, try this: Tape two fingers together on each hand, put on the darkest sunglasses you can find, and fit some headphones over your ears (with no music playing).
Now watch TV for 30 minutes. Choose a show you really like and take note of the experience. When you went to turn up the volume, did you accidentally press the wrong button a few times? Is the storyline harder to follow when you can’t hear every word?
Now have a conversation with someone, in person or on the phone. How does your homemade AGNES suit change how you interact with them? Normally while on the phone, we pace around, organize papers, post a few tweets, and just generally multitask. How does your style of interaction change when you’re forced to focus on the conversation?
What this Means for Presenters
Whether you know it or not, most presentations probably contain an audience member who is living with a disability. What can you do to connect with them?
We all know that we should speak clearly and loudly when addressing an audience. We may even know to use large print words on slides we design and to limit ourselves to one idea per slide. But you really feel it when your world is mediated through headphones and dark glasses.
The most critical change you can make to your presentation may be on the level of content. If your storyline is so complex and convoluted that only the most perceptive audience member can keep up, it’s time to simplify your approach. Turn dry data into stories with large, colorful photos. Clarify your transitions from one section to the next. And always circle back to your central theme when it’s time to close.
How would you modify your approach if you were presenting to an audience of seniors?
