Exporing the Relevance of UX in a Machine-Dominated Iot Landscape: Is It Becoming Obsolete?

A decade since Robertson and Leong mentioned the inadequate representation of key concerns and potential designs for interconnectedness on the Internet of Things (IoT) networks [1], the IoT industry has seen stable growth. Yet, the focus of User Experience (UX) research within the IoT domain remains consumer-oriented, emphasizing products such as home security, virtual assistants, and wearables. This concentration persists despite the Industrial IoT sector comprising over one-third of the overall industry growth, surpassing Consumer IoT [2]. Considering the increasing complexity of the IoT ecosystem and advancements in Generative AI, questions arise about the relevance of UX in this domain. The temptation to let machines autonomously communicate while relying on AI for all functions is apparent. The notion that interfaces may become obsolete, with commands like “stop all devices” being the only necessary interaction, becomes conceivable. However, the challenges regarding interoperability within such a complex ecosystem render this future scenario unrealistic. The concept of “Locus of Control” by Julian B. Rotter emphasizes that successful systems must grant users a sense of control [3], a principle evident in mobile phone interfaces providing users control over diverse data sets collected from their physical environment [1]. This research aims to explore the relevance of UX in a machine-dominant realm, particularly within the system monitoring industry and Business to Business (B2B), including non-consumer IoT contexts. Utilizing a multi-touchpoint research with customers evaluating emergent network technology, the study seeks to identify key success factors in B2B environments, challenging the assumption that Human-centric approaches are dispensable in machine-dominated landscapes.