As a response to the demands of our aging society, smart home systems increase seniors’ independence and enable them to live at home by monitoring their well-being. In this project, we investigate the decision making process concerning the purchase of smart home systems to identify measures to simplify the choice. The complexity of this decision is due to the different stakeholders (seniors as users and family members) involved in the decision, the limited knowledge of the seniors about their own needs and the technical characteristics of the product. The sensitivity of the product (need for assistance and financial constraints) adds further to the complexity of the decision making process. The current study uses data from seniors and relatives to identify to which extent presentation and positioning techniques simplify the decision making process as well as the product choice and consequently increase the satisfaction for seniors and their family members.

Authors: Petra Haerle and Martin Natter