Designing for Connection: Accessibility in WhatsApp for Older Adults
Role
UX Researcher, UX Designer, UI Designer
Timeline
December – May 2025 (6 months)
Designing for Connection explores how small interface decisions can create or hinder meaningful communication for older adults using WhatsApp.
Over the course of five months, I led a human-centered redesign process—from conducting interviews and usability studies to prototyping solutions based on real user struggles. The project resulted in a set of accessibility-driven interface updates aimed at making WhatsApp more readable, navigable, and error-resistant for aging users
WhatsApp has become a critical communication tool across generations, yet its interface presents significant usability challenges for older adults.
Many users over 50 experience barriers such as difficulty locating contacts due to endless scrolling, struggling to read small text, and unintentionally initiating calls.
These issues are compounded by low visual contrast, unclear interaction feedback, and a lack of onboarding support. This project aimed to uncover the root causes of these breakdowns and redesign key interactions to reduce friction, improve clarity, and foster a more confident, connected user experience for aging populations.
The Problem-
Research Methods
User Voices — In Their Own Words
Finding Contacts "I just scroll, I'm afraid to touch anything else."
•
Emotional Struggles "Me siento mal cuando me equivoco"`
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Navigation Confusion "I'm scared I'll press the wrong thing and lose my chats."
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Finding Contacts "I just scroll, I'm afraid to touch anything else." • Emotional Struggles "Me siento mal cuando me equivoco"` • Navigation Confusion "I'm scared I'll press the wrong thing and lose my chats." •
Key Findings
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Endless Scrolling
Users had difficulty locating conversations due to long, unfiltered chat lists and limited navigation shortcuts.
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Small Text
Many participants strained to read messages, leading to misinterpretation or complete disengagement.
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Accidental Calls
Participants often triggered calls unintentionally due to unclear confirmation flows and button placement.
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Navigation Confusion
Users lacked awareness of existing features like the Contacts tab, causing them to scroll instead of using available tools.
Design Solutions-
Dynamic Font Scaling in Onboarding
Problem: Small text, readability challenges
Design Solution: Added a font size selection step during onboarding, allowing users to preview and set their preferred text size (up to 30pt) before entering the app.
Before
Pin icons are to small
Design Solutions-
After
(With Dynamic Font Size)
Toggle Between Chats and Contacts
Problem: Navigation friction, lack of awareness of existing tabs
Design Solution: Introduced a clearly labeled toggle button at the top of the screen to switch between active chats and the full contact list.
Before
(No call confirmation)
After
Onboarding Screen
Before
(Hidden Feature of tab grouping)
Chat Screen with Dynamic Font Scaling
Design Solutions-
Most Contacted Carousel
Problem: Endless scrolling, contact discovery fatigue
Design Solution: A horizontal carousel at the top of the home screen displays the user’s most frequently contacted people, reducing the need to scroll through long chat list
After
Design Solutions-
Redesigned Call Confirmation
Problem: Accidental calls, button layout confusion
Design Solution: Redesigned the call confirmation flow, adding a clear and deliberate step that asks the user to confirm or cancel the call. This small change prevents high-friction errors and empowers users to feel more in control of their actions.
Testing & Results
A/B Concept Testing
Before finalizing redesigned features, I tested eight conceptual layouts with older users to explore which directions resonated most. Each variation addressed a different navigation, layout, or accessibility challenge.
Key Results
The Frequently Contacted Carousel and Chat/Contact Toggle were the most well-received concepts, praised for clarity and speed.
Concepts like Pinned Contacts and Additional Filter Tabs were confusing or overwhelming, highlighting the need for simplicity.
The Accessibility Emphasis layout (large text, high contrast) was appreciated by most users, though a few felt it was too exaggerated.
Hybrid designs combining multiple features (like pinned + toggle) created slight overload and were met with mixed feedback.
This round of testing informed the final set of prioritized features that balanced discoverability, familiarity, and ease of use for older adults.
Testing & Results
Microtesting
After finalizing core redesigns, I conducted microtesting on key UI adjustments with older adult users. Testing focused on readability, navigation ease, and message clarity — and revealed important nuances in user preferences.
Key Results
Font Size: Most participants preferred 25pt to 28pt; 31pt was readable but felt oversized for some.
Message Contrast: Feedback was mixed—lighter backgrounds (like white) were often preferred for clarity, though green bubbles also tested well.
Call Confirmation: The side-by-side layout was seen as too wide; cancel-first caused confusion. A stacked layout with 'Call' on top and 'Cancel' below reduced mistakes and felt most intuitive.
Testing & Results
Usability Testing
After finalizing key features, I conducted usability testing through Maze to validate the redesigned WhatsApp experience.
7 participants completed 4 critical tasks focused on accessibility, navigation, call confirmation, and error recovery.
Tasks Tested:
Adjust text size during onboarding
Locate a contact using the carousel or toggle button
Confirm a voice call
Recover from an accidental call
Key Results
95% task success on all four test scenarios
Participants described the prototype as “easy to follow”, “more comfortable,” and “less frustrating” than WhatsApp's current interface
Font selection during onboarding was clear, though some participants misclicked due to unfamiliarity with steps
The carousel and toggle improved discoverability—users located contacts faster and with fewer taps
The stacked call confirmation layout reduced accidental calls and was rated as more intuitive
All participants rated the prototype 4 or 5 out of 5 in satisfaction
Reflection
Designing for older adults taught me that accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it’s about empathy, clarity, and trust. Many of the challenges uncovered in this project stemmed from small oversights in interface design that, when compounded, made users feel confused, excluded, or overwhelmed.
Through interviews, testing, and iteration, I realized that even minor UI adjustments—like changing button layout, increasing font size, or simplifying navigation—can have a major impact on usability for aging users. These design shifts didn’t just improve functionality; they also empowered users to feel more confident and connected in their daily communication.
If I were to continue this work, I’d explore:
Voice interaction options for users with limited dexterity or vision
Context-aware onboarding that adapts based on device settings
Error recovery patterns tailored for aging cognition, such as undo prompts or confirmations with haptic feedback
This project reaffirmed my belief that inclusive design is not a constraint—it’s a creative opportunity to build experiences that truly serve everyone.