Usability of Voice Response Systems

Voice response systems are electronic assistants that enable their users to control computer systems with the help of natural language and whose primary output medium is likewise natural language. They offer their users new, previously untapped possibilities for human-machine interaction.

These assistants already enjoy a high degree of familiarity across all strata of society, they are heavily used by the younger generation, and they are available as part of widely available systems. These characteristics give these assistants a high potential as a human-machine interface.

“Alexa, put milk on my shopping list.”

At present, the main benefit of voice assistants is to make everyday life easier. However, a program interface is needed to prepare these systems for use in various contexts, for instance in a professional environment. Currently, these systems and interfaces are poorly researched. In particular, work in the area of user acceptance and user experience of such systems, taking into account different user groups and usage contexts, is completely lacking.

The project User Experience and User Acceptance of Voice Response Systems therefore wants to address this question of whether and how users accept and experience these systems, focusing on different user groups and different contexts of use. This basic question will be investigated in more detail in three consecutive studies, viz. a questionnaire study, an interview study, and an experiment.

Based on these studies, the project intends to develop specific recommendations for the development and use of voice assistants. In addition, a sample system will be developed in the course of the project that implements the findings from the studies in a practical manner.