Managing the Expectations of Voice-Controlled Access Solutions

Abstract: Voice is the primary tool of communication to a majority of people on earth. Humans are wired to process speech, meaning voice interaction require little cognitive effort. Advancements in voice technology over the last 20 years have seen an increased prevalence of voice-controlled applications. However, false expectations can potentially cause severe interaction deficiencies to many of these voice user interfaces. One of the many application areas being connected to voice is access solutions such as smart locks. With a fundamental value proposition of keeping people and their belongings safe and secure in convenient ways, access solutions require that many of the design decisions are delicate. The present thesis aimed to evaluate how expectations of access solutions in home environments can be affected by different voice attributes. A literature study was conducted to explore the rich body of research on the topic of voice technology and the psychological effects of synthesized speech. Based on the literature study, a design process with recognized methods for developing voice user interfaces was conducted. The design process led up to a Wizard of Oz test that was used to evaluate how different conversational strategies and voices affected expectations and perception of a voice-controlled smart lock. The results showed that choosing an appropriate conversational style is fundamental to provide users with a sense of control. Furthermore, the study provided insight on how previous experience of interacting with voice-controlled devices have an impact on the feeling of personalization in gendered synthesized voices. Finally, the study discusses some ethical considerations that have to be made when designing voice user interfaces that ultimately should provide value to users, not confine their privacy.