How to democratize Internet of Things devices. A participatory design research

The global introduction of affordable Internet of Things (IoT) devices offers an opportunity to empower a variety of users with different needs. However, many off-the-shelf digital products are still not widely adopted by people who are hesitant technology users or by older adults, notwithstanding that the design and user-interaction of these devices is recognized to be user-friendly. Considering the habits and preferences of those who have used mainly analog devices for most of their lives, such users may encounter challenges like digital illiteracy and technology anxiety when faced with newly-released digital IoT-based products. In view of the potential of IoT devices, how can we reduce obstacles of a cohort with low digital literacy and enable them to be equal participants in the digitalized world? This article shows the method and results achieved in a community-stakeholder workshop, developed through the participatory design research methodology, aiming at brainstorming problems and scenarios through a focus group and a structured survey. The research activity focused on (1) understanding pain points in the human-machine interaction process, (2) brainstorming scenarios to increase the usability of off-the-shelf IoT devices for hesitant users and (3) investigating strategies to improve digital literacy and reduce technology anxiety. A notable result was a series of feedback items pointing to the importance of facilitating educational experiences through learning resources in order to support individuals with different abilities, age, gender expression, to better adopt off-theshelf IoT solutions. This first User Experience research generated considerations for designing open-source learning tools and generating interaction proposals to foster inclusive and more accessible use of IoT technologies for improving older people’s daily activities.