Beyond Functionality: Co-Designing Voice User Interfaces for Older Adults' Well-being
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: The global population is rapidly aging, necessitating technologies that promote healthy aging. Voice User Interfaces (VUIs), leveraging natural language interaction, offer a promising solution for older adults due to their ease of use. However, current design practices often overemphasize functionality, neglecting older adults' complex aspirations, psychological well-being, and social connectedness. To address this gap, we conducted co-design sessions with 20 older adults employing an empathic design approach. Half of the participants interacted with a probe involving health information learning, while the others focused on a probe related to exercise. This method engaged participants in collaborative activities to uncover non-functional requirements early in the design process. Results indicate that when encouraged to share their needs within a social context, older adults revealed a range of sensory, aesthetic, hedonic, and social preferences and, more importantly, the specific personas of VUIs. These insights inform the relative importance of these factors in VUI design.
Authors: Xinhui Hu, Smit Desai, Morgan Lundy, Jessie Chin
Language: English
Subfield: Geriatrics and Gerontology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4412046159