Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by cognitive, psychological, and functional impairments. Digital interventions typically focus on cognitive deficits, neglecting the difficulties that patients experience in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The global conjecture created by COVID-19 has highlighted the seminal importance of digital interventions for the provision of healthcare services. Here, we investigated the feasibility and rehabilitation potential of a new design approach for creating highly realistic interactive virtual environments for MCI patients’ neurorehabilitation. Through a participatory design protocol, a neurorehabilitation digital platform was developed using images captured from a Portuguese supermarket (NeuroVRehab.PT). NeuroVRehab.PT’s main features (e.g., medium-sized supermarket, the use of shopping lists) were established according to a shopping behavior questionnaire filled in by 110 older adults. Seven health professionals used the platform and assessed its rehabilitation potential, clinical applicability, and user experience. Interviews were conducted using the think-aloud method and semi-structured scripts, and four main themes were derived from an inductive semantic thematic analysis. Our findings support NeuroVRehab.PT as an ecologically valid instrument with clinical applicability in MCI neurorehabilitation. Our design approach, together with a comprehensive analysis of the patients’ past experiences with IADL, is a promising technique to develop effective digital interventions to promote real-world functioning.

User interface (UI) personalization can improve usability and user experience. However, current systems offer limited opportunities for customization, and third-party solutions often require significant effort and technical skills beyond the reach of most users, impeding the future adoption of interface personalization. In our research, we explore the concept of UI customization for the self and others. We performed a two-week study where nine participants used a custom-designed tool that allows websites' UI customization for oneself and to create and reply to customization assistance requests from others. Results suggest that people enjoy customizing for others more than for themselves. They see requests as challenges to solve and are motivated by the positive feeling of helping others. To customize for themselves, people need help with the creative process. We discuss challenges and opportunities for future research seeking to democratize access to personalized UIs, particularly through community-based approaches.

Current phishing countermeasures depend strongly on vision, often inadequate for screen reader users. We conducted 10 semistructured interviews and 14 lab-based sessions with screen reader users to understand their phishing experiences and defenses.

Customization empowers users to tailor user interfaces to their needs. Although beneficial, its adoption is limited by the required effort, skills, and creativity. Following the success of open software repositories, we present a novel community-based customization system where users can: 1) customize UIs for the self and others – using a customization toolkit; 2) use and further adapt public customization templates – found in an online repository; or 3) request customization assistance. We explored this concept in the context of Web technologies by developing GitUI. GitUI was iteratively developed and evaluated over two deployment phases. In a two-phase study (n=9), experts and non-experts 1) used, for two weeks, the customization toolkit; and 2) explored the repository. Results suggest that community-based customization is feasible. People are motivated to customize for others and enjoy the convenience of public templates. We present challenges and opportunities for future research seeking to democratize customization.