Simple design modifications can reduce streaming TV usability barriers by almost 50%, according to new research commissioned by Ofcom and conducted by the Digital Television Group (DTG) in collaboration with Goldsmiths’ i2 media research.
The study put participants aged 65 and over through real-world testing scenarios across major IPTV platforms, observing how they completed everyday tasks like finding live channels, signing into apps, and searching for content.
Key Findings Transform Understanding
The research reveals that voice search, when supported with minimal guidance, consistently outperformed traditional electronic programme guides, pointing to untapped potential for confidence-building tools that already exist in most platforms.
Navigation via logical channel numbering (LCN) proved universally accessible across all participant groups, confirming its value as a simple but powerful inclusion enabler that platforms often overlook.
Participants consistently identified cluttered home screens, inconsistent menu structures, complex sign-in processes and poor remote control design as the primary barriers preventing them from accessing content they wanted to watch.
A prototype “TV Simple Screen” overlay developed by DTG achieved the most dramatic improvements reducing usability barriers by almost half across the tested scenarios, with the greatest gains among participants with lower digital confidence.
Industry Implications
The findings challenge assumptions that accessibility issues affect only the current older generation. Without intervention, the same usability barriers will confront future audiences as they age, creating a growing challenge for platforms, manufacturers and broadcasters.
“Television is more than entertainment, it is companionship, information, and independence,” said DTG Chief Executive Richard Lindsay-Davies. “This research proves that small, thoughtful changes can have a transformative effect on confidence and usability. Inclusive design doesn’t just support older viewers – it benefits everyone.”
The study provides a clear evidence base for practical solutions that industry can implement immediately, moving beyond identifying problems to testing what actually works.
Four-Point Action Plan for Industry
Based on the testing results, the study recommends:
- Embed inclusive design principles directly into mainstream product development
- Simplify navigation with uncluttered home screens and consistent menu structures
- Improve hardware accessibility through better remote control ergonomics and clearer terminology
- Establish industry standards with best-practice guidelines refreshed annually
Professor Jonny Freeman, Director of i2 media research at Goldsmiths, said: “Our study demonstrates that usability sits at the heart of how people connect with television. By adopting these recommendations, manufacturers, platforms and broadcasters can reduce barriers, increase confidence, and deliver innovations with genuine social and commercial impact.”
The full report, Challenges and Solutions for Improving Inclusivity and Usability in Internet-delivered TV, is available here.
