Spoken help for a car stereo: An exploratory study

This paper reports an investigation of the use of spoken (audible) help in an attempt to increase the usability and learnability of a high-end car stereo. To investigate the usefulness of audible spoken help for a car stereo, a simulation was constructed within which experimental help systems were incorporated. To validate the simulation, the 'real' car stereo (an existing consumer product, acting as the control condition) was compared empirically with its simulation. An experiment, using the four conditions of actual product, simulation of actual product, and two simulations employing different spoken help functions was undertaken. Forty participants in a between subjects design, carried out specified tasks with the car stereo version according to experimental condition. User performance, specifically task completion and number of button presses, and subjective reactions were measured. The simulated spoken help versions clearly assisted users with their tasks, and, in general, were responded to favourabl...