AI Telehealth Persona Research
Fall 2025 · UX Research for PM
Type
UX Research · Product
Role
Group Leader
Team
Team of 4
Method
Controlled Experiment
Overview
Conducted a controlled HCI experiment measuring how an AI chatbot persona's facial expression and tone affect user perception in a telehealth setting. We compared a smile + friendly-tone persona against a neutral-expression + neutral-tone persona, collecting quantitative satisfaction and trust ratings from participants. Statistical analysis with t-tests revealed results that directly challenged our initial hypothesis — and conventional UX wisdom.
01 · Research Question
Does a warmer, friendlier AI chatbot persona — one that smiles and uses a friendly tone — produce higher user satisfaction and trust in a healthcare context? Our hypothesis going in was yes: more human-like warmth would feel more approachable and build rapport.
02 · Key Findings
Neutral AI outperformed the friendly AI
Contrary to our hypothesis, participants rated the neutral-expression, neutral-tone persona significantly higher on satisfaction metrics. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05), making this a reliable finding rather than noise.
In healthcare, neutrality reads as competence
Qualitative notes and rating patterns suggest users associated a calm, neutral AI with professionalism and trustworthiness in a medical context. The smiling persona felt out of place — warmth backfired when the stakes felt clinical.
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