Voice for Seniors Mobile Phones for the Senior Market 26 October 2009 Nicky Hickman (nicky.hickman@inglisjane.co.uk)

What do we mean by VUI? ‘you talking to your mobile, and your mobile talking to you’ Hyperlink to YouTube Video

Overview Overall the research tries to answer two key questions Has VUI for mobile finally come of age? If so, what are the implications for users, and for those of us who are designing, developing and marketing mobile products Method (July – Sept 09) Qualitative & Quantitative Sub-set of these findings VUI for Seniors Overall mobile usage Why VUI is useful for Seniors Why customers don’t like VUI What we can use VUI for How we can use VUI

Overall the research tries to answer two key questions

Has VUI for mobile finally come of age?

If so, what are the implications for users, and for those of us who are designing, developing and marketing mobile products

Method (July – Sept 09)

Qualitative & Quantitative

Sub-set of these findings

VUI for Seniors

Overall mobile usage

Why VUI is useful for Seniors

Why customers don’t like VUI

What we can use VUI for

How we can use VUI

Seniors are more likely than most to own a mobile 92% 93% 97% Own a Mobile 20% 33% 19% % Working in ICT 93% Europe 3% USA 90% Europe 5% USA 86% Europe 14% USA Geo-location M 41% : F 59% M 51% : F 49% M 53% : F 47% Gender M : F < 25 yrs 12% Overall 100% Seniors 12%

Seniors’ mobile usage is higher than expected As the next generation of seniors come of age, it’s obvious that the ‘senior market’ will grow with it 30% hardly ever use their mobiles 16% use their phones at least 1 x per hour

As the next generation of seniors come of age, it’s obvious that the ‘senior market’ will grow with it

30% hardly ever use their mobiles

16% use their phones at least 1 x per hour

Seniors use their ‘phones more than others for voice calls

Why is VUI useful for senior customers? Voice is still the most natural and intuitive UI Users need a compelling reason to use VUI, and Seniors have more of them Capability (e.g. visual impairment, manual dexterity) Seniors are 3x more likely to ‘very often’ find it difficult to read a mobile ‘phone screen Seniors are twice as likely to ‘very often’ find it difficult to use a touch-screen or keypad Situation (alone, hands-free, eyes-free) 56% of seniors ‘very often’ drive a car compared to 39% overall, and only 17% of <25yrs Seniors are more likely to need hands free e.g. use of walking aids, arms for balance Availability vs utility (ie. it’s the only interface available)

Voice is still the most natural and intuitive UI

Users need a compelling reason to use VUI, and Seniors have more of them

Capability (e.g. visual impairment, manual dexterity)

Seniors are 3x more likely to ‘very often’ find it difficult to read a mobile ‘phone screen

Seniors are twice as likely to ‘very often’ find it difficult to use a touch-screen or keypad

Situation (alone, hands-free, eyes-free)

56% of seniors ‘very often’ drive a car compared to 39% overall, and only 17% of <25yrs

Seniors are more likely to need hands free e.g. use of walking aids, arms for balance

Availability vs utility (ie. it’s the only interface available)

Why customers don’t like using VUI

VUI is not easy to use 70% of seniors had never used VUI, compared to 55% overall Of those who had used VUI, most found it difficult No Seniors found it ‘Very difficult’ and more found it ‘Very easy’ <25yrs found it substantially easier than everyone

70% of seniors had never used VUI, compared to 55% overall

Of those who had used VUI, most found it difficult

No Seniors found it ‘Very difficult’ and more found it ‘Very easy’

<25yrs found it substantially easier than everyone

Customers don’t feel comfortable using VUI around others Social codes of conduct vary from generation to generation, older customers feel much less comfortable using the ‘phone around other people

Social codes of conduct vary from generation to generation, older customers feel much less comfortable using the ‘phone around other people

… and don’t like others using it around them

We don’t like things that talk… Hyperlink to YouTube Video: Talking Toaster .. because speech is the expression of thought

Do Senior customers want VUI & would they pay for it? Probably not in it’s current form Given a choice, users will not make use of VUI Even when VUI is the only appropriate user interface (e.g. driving), Seniors are almost twice as likely to say they still wouldn’t use VUI Seniors are 3 x more likely to think that VUI is ‘pointless or useless’ 29% of Senior customers would ‘never use VUI’ compared to 15% overall, and 19% of <25yrs

Probably not in it’s current form

Given a choice, users will not make use of VUI

Even when VUI is the only appropriate user interface (e.g. driving), Seniors are almost twice as likely to say they still wouldn’t use VUI

Seniors are 3 x more likely to think that VUI is ‘pointless or useless’

29% of Senior customers would ‘never use VUI’ compared to 15% overall, and 19% of <25yrs

What should we use VUI for? 5-10 years Increased Inclusion Certain Situations Shortcuts Aid to memory Gaming 10-30 years Assistive Environments Augmented Reality B-party personalisation Validation

5-10 years

Increased Inclusion

Certain Situations

Shortcuts

Aid to memory

Gaming

10-30 years

Assistive Environments

Augmented Reality

B-party personalisation

Validation

Making Simple VUI work for Seniors User intent not machine function Voice in the UI not as the UI Design for different situations Personalise and humanise the interface according to social context Enable VUI as an option and never an obligation Design around a mental model that suits the generation you are targeting

User intent not machine function

Voice in the UI not as the UI

Design for different situations

Personalise and humanise the interface according to social context

Enable VUI as an option and never an obligation

Design around a mental model that suits the generation you are targeting

Thank you! Sound Barriers Analysis will be published under a Creative Commons Non-Commercial license If you are non-commercial it is free If you participated it is free You can also buy it online WEB: www. inglisjane .co. uk Email: nicky . hickman @ inglisjane .co. uk Blog: http:// inglisjane . wordpress .com Twitter: @N_Hickman

Sound Barriers Analysis will be published under a Creative Commons Non-Commercial license

If you are non-commercial it is free

If you participated it is free

You can also buy it online

WEB: www. inglisjane .co. uk

Email: nicky . hickman @ inglisjane .co. uk

Blog: http:// inglisjane . wordpress .com

Twitter: @N_Hickman