System Feature Awareness and Retrieval Strategies in the Use of Voice-Activated Devices

Users rarely take full advantage of the unprecedented possibilities offered by IT in the post-adoptive stage of use, creating a feature-use paradox. This paradox is particularly pronounced in the context of voice-activated devices (VADs), such as smart voice assistants, as VADs require users to rely entirely on memory when interacting with them. In this setting, we theorize that users' ability to recall which system features are available is crucial for effectively engaging with VADs and can thus shed light on the feature-use paradox. We define IT Feature Awareness in the context of VADs by adapting the brand awareness concept from marketing research, and we develop a conceptual model rooted in adaptive system use theory that captures the expected impact of IT feature awareness on innovative use behaviors. We conclude this work-in-progress by outlining our data collection plans and expected contribution to the post-adoptive IT use stream of the IS literature.