Smart Speech Systems: A Focus Group Study on Older Adult User and Non-User Perceptions of Speech Interfaces

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Abstract
Smart speech systems are becoming increasingly pervasive in society. At the same time, the number of older adults is rapidly growing. These simultaneous trends make it likely for older individuals to encounter and, in some cases, benefit from speech systems throughout later stages of life. To date, most research studies have examined older adult non-users’ opinions of speech systems, but not the sentiments of older users. To address this research gap, four focus groups were conducted to compare the perceptions and attitudes of seniors who voluntarily use and do not use speech systems across various devices. Findings suggest that older users and non-users are similar in their perception of the advantages provided this technology, factors that (could) motivate their use, common challenges faced while using these systems, and barriers to using particular features or speech systems altogether. The two groups differed in their preferences for learning how to use these systems, perception of system cost, and global perception of technology. In addition, older adult users exclusively believed speech systems to be easy to use, but also expressed concerns about information transparency and privacy. Older non-users explained that the absence of age-related declines was a barrier to use. These results may guide designers and researchers in developing, evaluating, and refining smart technologies to be used by various senior populations.
Funding Information
  • Arvin Calspan Fellowship

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