From Design Studio to Senior Centers
Colin Chan has built his career around one question: How can technology be designed to make life easier, more meaningful, and more inclusive for everyone? A UX (user experience) designer at Google, Colin spends his workdays thinking about the small details that shape how people interact with technology—reducing friction, building confidence and delight, and creating experiences that feel natural and intuitive. He studied Interaction Design at California College of the Arts, where he developed a passion for understanding user needs and turning that insight into thoughtful, practical solutions.
That curiosity led him to a deeper question: why, despite the breadth of digital products and services available, do many older adults still struggle to use technology confidently? It was a question that didn’t just shape his thesis research — it brought him to digitalLIFT.
Bringing Design Skills to the Community
Colin began volunteering with digitalLIFT in July 2024 at Curry Senior Center before moving to 30th Street Senior Center in 2025. On Saturday mornings, he spent a few hours helping seniors with everything from setting up their devices and navigating apps to editing media, fixing internet issues, and even exploring AI tools.
“When I started volunteering, I realized how big the digital barrier really is for seniors,” Colin says. “I see myself as a facilitator—breaking down the complexity, showing how tools are built, and helping seniors feel confident using them.”
For many of the learners he meets, technology can feel intimidating or even unsafe. Colin works to replace that uncertainty with understanding, showing that these tools aren’t out of reach — they just require a different approach. By meeting learners where they are and adapting to their pace, he helped them not only solve immediate problems but also build the confidence to explore technology on their own.
Learning in Both Directions
For Colin, volunteering wasn’t just about teaching, it was about listening. By seeing technology through the eyes of his learners, he gained valuable insight that he took back to his design work. “As a designer, my core practice is to think about user pain points and turn them into solutions or opportunities that delight. Volunteering gave me a direct line to those real-world challenges,” he explains.
Those insights even shaped his academic work. As he finished college, his thesis focused on digital readiness for seniors, exploring how design can create safer, more meaningful interactions and equal opportunities for all users, especially those often overlooked in the design process. Some approaches he imagined focused on strengthening users’ ability to understand digital interactions, minimizing uncertainties, and improving access to reliable support. He also explored how new technologies may come into play, such as companion AI tools designed with the purpose of providing guided support for those in need.
This exchange of knowledge is what kept Colin coming back week after week. Every question he answered sparked new ideas for how technology can be made more accessible. And his emerging career in user-centered design was influenced by the real people he met — people whose successes reminded him that thoughtful design has the power to change lives.
Lasting Impact
Whether he’s at a senior center helping someone send their first email or in a design team refining a user experience, Colin has the same goal: to make technology more human.
“Seniors are absolutely able to use these tools—they just have a different way of interacting with them,” he says. “When we meet them where they are, they thrive.”
Colin’s work shows that meaningful change happens when skill meets empathy. By integrating service, design, and a deep respect for the learner’s experience, he not only helps people overcome digital barriers but also inspires a more inclusive approach to technology. digitalLIFT is proud to spotlight his dedication, his curiosity, and the many ways he continues to make a lasting difference!
Stories like Colin’s remind us that change happens when people come together with purpose. By volunteering with digitalLIFT, you’ll help older adults gain digital confidence, build skills, and unlock new strategies for success. Perhaps you’re looking to deepen your knowledge of teaching digital skills or exploring new approaches for working with older adults: if so, check out our flexible online classes. If you’re an organization wanting to make an impact, we welcome you to partner with us in bridging the digital divide.
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