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Improving older adults' experience with interactive voice response systems.
Delyana Ivanova Miller1, Halina Bruce, Michèle Gagnon
1School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
Older adults struggle with interactive voice response (IVR) systems due to issues like long waits and inability to reach operators. Improving IVR design with adaptive algorithms can enhance user experience and system acceptance for seniors.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Gerontology
- Usability Engineering
Background:
- Interactive voice response (IVR) systems are increasingly used in business and healthcare.
- Older adults often exhibit negative attitudes and difficulties when using IVR systems.
- Existing evidence highlights challenges faced by seniors with IVR technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific difficulties older adults encounter when using IVR systems.
- To propose actionable strategies for improving IVR usability for the elderly population.
Main Methods:
- Conducted two focus groups with older adults to gather perceptions and experiences with IVR.
- Collected qualitative data on common interaction difficulties and suggestions for enhancement.
- Analyzed focus group data using frequency and chi square analyses.
Main Results:
- Confirmed previous findings on IVR difficulties for seniors.
- Identified new issues: inability to reach operators, long hold times, difficulty recovering from errors, and lack of system shortcuts.
- Found a preference among participants for automated, adaptive IVR systems over manually adjustable ones.
Conclusions:
- Poor acceptability of IVR systems by older adults can be mitigated through improved design.
- Developing IVR algorithms that detect user difficulties and adapt accordingly is crucial.
- Personalized, adaptive IVR interfaces can significantly enhance the user experience for seniors.
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