About Me

I am a Professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, where I am Deputy Head of School (research). I lead the "design for ageing" research theme in the Human-Computer Interaction research group and coordinate Fieldwork for Design, a core subject in the Master of Information Technology - Human-Computer Interaction stream.

In my research, I use qualitative and participatory methods to understand how older adults and aged care providers use technology to foster social and emotional connectedness in later life. By gaining an in-depth understanding of people's experiences with technology-in-use, my research aims to improve how we design and deploy technologies for social benefit in complex settings such as aged care, where an empathetic approach is critical to ensure new technologies add value without causing harm. 

​​My recent work has focused on:
  • Innovations in storytelling in later life
  • Accessible video calling technology for isolated older adults, in collaboration with Dossy
  • The use of immersive virtual reality in residential aged care​
  • Care staff perspectives on the use of emerging technologies for enrichment in aged care settings
  • Experiences with video calls for staying connected in residential aged care
  • Technology for enabling the use of music therapy in dementia care
  • Ethics and the use of social robots in aged care
  • Participatory design of social virtual reality experiences with older adults
  • Values in the design of technologies for addressing social isolation in later life
Contact:
jwaycott @ unimelb.edu.au
Location:
Level 3, Melbourne Connect
700 Swanston Street, Carlton

Links:
Linked in profile
University of Melbourne Find an Expert page
Google scholar citations
​Bluesky
Linktree