Age Differences in Rendezvousing: 18-30s Vs. 31-45s

One strategy for increasing the usefulness, ease of use and satisfaction of wireless navigation and related services is to tailor a package of services to meet the requirements of particular user groups. This paper reports a diary study, which compared the rendezvousing performance and behaviour of two age groups 18-30s and 31-45s. The age groups differed in the following respects: (i) 31-45s more frequently attributed problems rendezvousing to the overrunning of previous activities, and to the spontaneous performance of additional tasks (‘side-stepping’); (ii) 31-45s more frequently experienced lost opportunities associated with the failure to meet as initially agreed in the form of personal sacrifices; and (iii) 31-45s more frequently changed plans for the rendezvous. The explanation for these differences suggested by the diaries is that commitments to spouse and children lead 31-45s to pack their lives more tightly with activities than 18-30s. Some implications for tailoring wireless navigation and related services to the 31-45 age group are discussed.