Open AccessReference Framework for Measuring the Level of Technological Acceptance by the Elderly: A Case Study of Virtual Assistants
Author(s) -
Manuel Bolaños,
César A. Collázos,
Francisco Gutiérrez
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
tecnológicas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2256-5337
pISSN - 0123-7799
DOI - 10.22430/22565337.1791
Subject(s) - usability , feeling , recreation , order (exchange) , diversity (politics) , focus group , work (physics) , activities of daily living , computer science , psychology , knowledge management , internet privacy , applied psychology , business , human–computer interaction , social psychology , engineering , marketing , sociology , mechanical engineering , finance , psychiatry , political science , anthropology , law
Elderly people often have problems to use technology. As a result, the existing diversity of systems and applications adapted to this kind of users is expanding, thus facilitating the communication with their social environment, and supporting their daily activities. The aim of this study was to identify the intention of a group of older adults in Pasto, Colombia, to use smart virtual assistants and the activities in which they think these devices would be useful. Considering the participants’ characteristics and in order to capture their feelings, thoughts, and experiences, we held focus groups to gather precise, clear, and simple information. The results obtained indicate that older adults can potentially use virtual assistants for their daily personal, work-related, and recreational activities. Nevertheless, motivation and technology acceptance are key aspects to ensure the usability of technological systems by this populational group, and user requirements should be well defined in order to identify the characteristics and functionalities that they expect to find in such technology products. Therefore, technology developed for the elderly must meet their essential expectations in order for them to accept and adopt it in their daily lives.Elderly people often have problems to use technology. As a result, the existing diversity of systems and applications adapted to this kind of users is expanding, thus facilitating the communication with their social environment, and supporting their daily activities. The aim of this study was to identify the intention of a group of older adults in Pasto, Colombia, to use smart virtual assistants and the activities in which they think these devices would be useful. Considering the participants’ characteristics and in order to capture their feelings, thoughts, and experiences, we held focus groups to gather precise, clear, and simple information. The results obtained indicate that older adults can potentially use virtual assistants for their daily personal, work-related, and recreational activities. Nevertheless, motivation and technology acceptance are key aspects to ensure the usability of technological systems by this populational group, and user requirements should be well defined in order to identify the characteristics and functionalities that they expect to find in such technology products. Therefore, technology developed for the elderly must meet their essential expectations in order for them to accept and adopt it in their daily lives.