It Can Be More Than Just a Subservient Assistant. Distinct Roles for the Design of Intelligent Personal Assistants
Ronda Ringfort-Felner, Matthias Laschke, Robin Neuhaus, Dimitra Theofanou-Fülbier, Marc Hassenzahl
Abstract
Typically, intelligent personal assistants (IPAs), such as Amazon's Alexa, are presented as anthropomorphized, subservient, and predominantly female. Due to this, IPAs are often perceived as counterparts, which in turn implies that they might not only fulfill practical tasks, but also social needs through the roles they are given. Thus, roles determine the nature of the relationship, expectations, and experiences. Interestingly, the range of roles IPAs can take is poorly understood and there seems a lack of design guidance. To support designers, we gathered 26 roles from cross-domain HRI and categorized them into four role types (confidant, teammate, task performer, expert). We created a card set and applied it in a student seminar and a research project. It provided a valuable way to explicitly explore the implications of different roles – either as an inspiration or to ensure that roles are selected, which match the envisioned IPA.