DESIGN AND USABILITY EVALUATION OF A VOICE-ASSISTED TEXT-FREE CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR LOW-LITERACY SHOPKEEPERS

Abstract

Low-literacy shopkeepers often face difficulties in using conventional customer management applications because most existing systems depend heavily on textual input, complex menus, and literacy-based navigation. This study presents the design and usability evaluation of a voice-assisted, text-free Android-based Customer Management System developed for low-literacy retail shopkeepers. The proposed system uses graphical icons, sketch-based buttons, customer images, audio instructions in the local language, SMS reminders, and SQLite-based local storage to support customer registration, item registration, credit management, due-payment updates, and customer notification. The application was evaluated through task-based usability testing involving low-literacy shopkeepers and literate users. Usability was assessed using task completion time, total clicks, incorrect clicks, task success, and participant feedback. The findings indicate that graphical and voice-supported interaction can reduce hesitation among low-literacy users and improve their ability to complete customer-management tasks independently. The study contributes to inclusive mobile interface design by demonstrating how text-free and audio-guided interaction can support small-scale business management for users with limited reading skills.