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Title: From Frustration to Function: A Study on Usability Challenges in Smart Home IoT Devices
IoT devices have significantly altered the methods of interaction, operation, and functionality within home environments. However, individuals, particularly those with limited technical proficiency who stand to gain the most from these advancements, likely encounter challenges stemming from the intricate setup processes, a critical stage with the potential to limit their widespread adoption. Thus, we focus on the user experience during the setup phase of mainstream smart home devices and conduct an empirical study of 15 representative smart home IoT devices. We scrupulously examine their setup processes, as well as accompanying instructions and user manuals, to assess multi-faceted usability concerns. Our findings reveal 19 usability issues, indicating notable barriers, inconsistencies, and a lack of intuitiveness, which may deter consumers from successfully configuring and using these devices.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1932418
PAR ID:
10525941
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
IEEE
Date Published:
ISBN:
979-8-3503-0457-2
Page Range / eLocation ID:
1 to 6
Format(s):
Medium: X
Location:
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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