User Perceptions, Experiences and Interactions with Municipalities’ Chatbots Differing in Human Likeness and Interaction Design

Abstract

Municipalities are increasingly implementing chatbots as a part of their digital service provision. The extent to which users embrace the chatbot plays a role in determining the success of this implemen- tation. Multiple factors play a role in users’ perceptions, experiences, and interactions with chatbots, such as the human likeness (e.g., avatar, name, and communication style) and interaction design (e.g., free text versus buttons). This project examines how users perceive and interact with Dutch municipality chatbots. A unique feature of the project is that users interact with multiple Dutch municipal chatbots that differ in terms of humanlikeness and interaction designs. A mixed-methods ap- proach is adopted encompassing both a qualitative interview study and a content analysis. The project is expected to have key implications for theory and practice on municipality chatbots.