Research on Age-Friendly Design and Perceived Cost of Government Service Apps Based on User Experience: A Case Study of the Tianfu Citizen Cloud App

Abstract

With the acceleration of population aging in China, older adults have become an increasingly important user group of digital government services. Government service applications now function as a primary interface for public service delivery; however, their design often fails to adequately accommodate the needs of elderly users, resulting in elevated perceived costs and limited usability. This study examines the relationship between age-friendly design and perceived cost by taking the Tianfu Citizen Cloud App as a case. A mixed-method approach, combining content analysis, case study, and data mining, is employed to analyze interface design characteristics and user feedback. The findings indicate that insufficient consideration of elderly users’ cognitive and physiological characteristics leads to increased learning, time, and psychological costs. Based on these findings, this paper proposes targeted optimization strategies aimed at improving usability and reducing perceived cost. The study contributes to the ongoing discussion on digital inclusion by providing practical insights into the design of more accessible government service applications.