People differ in their ability to solve problems with home automation and appliances – but how can this be researched?

A project report

Abstract

This article presents the research project TPL-basics that investigates the competence of individuals in solving technical problems with everyday devices. It aims at quantifying individual differences in dealing with technology and at investigating the conditions that promote knowledge acquisition. For this purpose, a computer-based test instrument was developed that captures various strategies of knowledge acquisition (especially exploration and manual use). First results show that using instructions as well as autonomous exploration positively influence problem-solving performance. Furthermore, the paper proposes an outline for a theoretical model of technical problem-solving and emphasizes the importance of technical education in everyday life.