Presented by Dr Miriam Boyles & Holly Allison from OrangeBus at Design It; Build It 2018 Our recent research into the current use and perception of voice user interfaces (VUI), such as Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri, revealed a widespread perception of the technology as ‘lazy’. VUI was seen to encourage idleness, with people using their bodies less to carry out simple domestic tasks. Rather than enabling able-bodied users it was seen to be disabling and this perception gave the technology a certain stigma. In this talk we will share with you our journey to understand and define the way VUI technology can afford people more freedom, independence and control in later life.

1. Empowering older
people through
voice technology
Dr Miriam Boyles Holly Allison

2. Hello!
Holly Allison
Dr Miriam Boyles

3. Why VUI...

4. Our approach

5. What we found
It's being promoted as making
our lives easier but I feel like
it's making us super lazy.

6. How do we
make VUI
more useful?

7. Conversation is not a
new interface. It’s the
oldest interface.

8. Our hypothesis:
Voice technology could
be used to empower
older people

9. Cities Participants Hours
VUI Phase 2

11. Our persona
● Dorothy ‘Dot’
● 88 years old
● Lives alone but gets support
from home help and her son
● Takes regular medication but
no ongoing treatment
● She’s a sociable person and
enjoys talking to people

12. Psychological
needs
My memory is getting
worse - sometimes I
forget people’s names or
what I’m about to say in
conversation. I feel so
stupid and embarrassed

13. My husband passed away
ten years ago, and my son
works full time, so I spend
a lot of time by myself. I try
to get out and about and
speak to people at least
once a week
Social needs

14. I need to feel
normal
I need a lot more help
now to take care of
myself. My son has his
own family to look after
- I feel like such a burden.
Sometimes I don’t feel
like I’m in charge of my
own life anymore.
Identity needs

15. I recently got a letter from
the hospital about an
appointment and I don’t
understand it… but I’m
sure my GP will sort it! I’ve
also had a few falls lately
but I didn’t tell anyone
because I don’t want them
to fuss over me.
Healthcare needs

16. Design challenges
How might VUI...
● Facilitate independence for older people
● Help to combat loneliness in older people
● Assist older people with memory
problems
● Help older people manage their health

17. Some of our favourites...

18. VUI Chat
Roulette

19. VUI
Car Pool

20. VUI
Health
Record

21. VUI
‘MyCommunity’

22. Steps we took:
● Created our user persona - Dorothy
● Created a product persona / identity
● Mini workshop with developer and
content strategist
● Mapped interaction flow
Designing
for voice

23. Designing
for voice

24. Designing
for voice

25. Designing
for voice

26. Design it. Test it.
Build it. Test it again.
What next?

27. So..
Can VUI empower
older people?

28. orangebus.co.uk/guides/researching-vui--a-ux-101/

29. Thank you!
Dr Miriam Boyles Holly Allison