DTG-led TV usability project wins IBC2026 Best Technical Paper Award

The winning paper, Measuring and reducing interaction barriers in internet-delivered TV systems through age-informed human factors design, was submitted by the DTG’s project partner i2 media research.

Written by Emma Maier, Jodie Pearton, Anna Stewart, Arina Mnatsakanyan and Professor Jonathan Freeman, the paper draws on findings from a wider project to investigate the barriers older viewers experience when using internet-delivered television, and how technology and design could help overcome them.

The DTG developed the technical solution to address requirements identified by the initial user research: a simple, optional overlay designed to make core television functions easier to find and navigate, and partnered with i2 media research to lead all stages of the behavioural research and observational testing at its lab at Goldsmiths, University of London.

That testing, with adults aged between 65 and 89, identified barriers including layered menus, unclear feedback, unfamiliar terminology and a lack of visual hierarchy. It then demonstrated how the simple UI overlay could reduce barriers and support more confident, independent viewing.

Announcing the award, Chair of the IBC2026 Technical Papers Committee Andrew Dumbreck said: “Among many excellent papers in this year’s IBC Technical Conference, this paper on how to make TV more usable for older viewers clearly reports a well-conceived and executed scientific study. It is highly relevant to the current thinking about how to transition to greater delivery of content by internet while retaining public service goals of universal coverage and access.”

The recognition comes at a critical time for the UK television sector. As industry and government consider the transition towards delivery of television over IP, ensuring services remain intuitive, accessible and inclusive will be essential to leaving no viewer behind.

Digital TV Group CEO Richard Lindsay-Davies said: “We are absolutely delighted that this important work has received such prestigious recognition from IBC. It is a powerful example of what can be achieved by combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of user behaviour.

“As the UK plans for a future in which television is delivered over IP, usability cannot be treated as an afterthought. The transition will only succeed if every viewer can access and enjoy television with confidence. This award reinforces the importance of collaborative, evidence-led work in understanding how we preserve everything audiences value about television while unlocking the opportunities of its future.”

Managing Director of i2 media research Professor Jonathan Freeman said: “We are thrilled to receive the IBC2026 Best Technical Paper Award. This recognition reflects the strength of our partnership with the DTG, bringing rigorous behavioural research together with a practical technical response to a genuine audience need.

“Our findings show that many of the difficulties older viewers experience are not inevitable consequences of age or technology. They are often design barriers that can, and should, be removed. We hope this work helps put age-informed, inclusive design at the heart of the transition to internet-delivered television.”

The Best Technical Paper Award will be presented at the IBC Innovation Awards in Amsterdam on Sunday 13 September.

Read the full IBC announcement here. The full report and its findings can be accessed here.

And if you haven’t yet registered for IBC 2026 you can get your pass here.