An Aging-focused Heuristic Evaluation of Home Automation Controls

Abstract

Smart home technology can help older adults maintain independent lifestyles. Recent technological advancements have made smart home technology less expensive and more attainable for the average consumer. Older adults with limited technology experience can benefit from smart home systems with more natural interactions. One such example is the smart speaker, a device with a voice user interface. However, smart speakers are not explicitly designed for older adult use, thereby raising usability concerns. We conducted a heuristic evaluation of a smart speaker system. The results revealed several violations of both Nielsen’s and additional heuristics. Voiced agent interactions were rigid, unnatural, and uninformative. The companion mobile application was difficult to navigate and used low-contrast imagery. Future considerations of age-related differences will make smart speakers and other voice-user interfaces more usable for the aging population.