När rösten är allt

: Feedback utan skärm – En studie om hur studenter inom högre utbildning upplever feedback från ett röstbaserat gränssnitt

Abstract

There is a growing demand for voice user interfaces (VUI) globally, as well as within research and interaction design across various domains, including educational domain. For these systems to be user friendly, they must not only be functional but also intuitive for the user, where feedback plays a crucial role in the user experience. Especially in voice user interface without visual representations, feedback has proven to be a challenge. The aim of this study is to explore the user experience of a voice user interface without visual representation, focusing on how different types of feedback, such as non-verbal and closed loop communication, affect students working with the task of text reading and questions based on the text. A prototype voice interface was tested with six participants in higher education, and data was collected through participatory observation and semi-structured interviews, followed by qualitative analysis. Three main themes emerged, which we refer to as: mental model, conversational architecture, and human behavior. The results indicate that system feedback does not need to mimic human conversational patterns, but should instead follow social norms for handling errors and confirmations. Feedback was critical throughout the interaction process and should be both informative and effective. The type of feedback influenced the experience of the system’s qualities, such as tone, pace, and factual content. Participants’ expectations regarding feedback often did not align with their preferences, suggesting that feedback can be adapted to both the user and the context. This study contributes to the understanding of how voice interfaces without visual representation can support student focus by reducing visual distractions. Finally, further research is suggested on voice interfaces that adapt to the user’s experience and tasks, while also considering social norms.

Date of Award	2025-Jun
Original language	Swedish
Supervisor	Martin Wetterstrand (Supervisor), Mårten Pettersson (Assessor) & Mårten Pettersson (Examiner)