Conference PaperFrom Frustration to Function: A Study on Usability Challenges in Smart Home IoT DevicesChanda, Vignay; Hao, Luoyao; Schulzrinne, HenningIoT 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.IEEE2024-01-06105259411 to 6979-8-3503-0457-2https://doi.org/10.1109/CCNC51664.2024.104546341932418Las Vegas, NV, USANational Science Foundation