DIY Consumers and Wearable Electronics: What Factors Affect Technology Adoption?
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The first national meeting of textile and clothing professors took place in Madison, Wisconsin in June 1959. With a mission to advance excellence in education, scholarship and innovation, and their global applications, the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) is a professional and educational association of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education.
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This study explored factors which affect DIY consumers' attitude toward and intention to adopt wearable technology within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) using the variables of Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Playfulness. A survey, hands-on activity, and focus groups were carried out with seventeen U.S. adult participants (N = 17) and the data were analyzed based on thematic content analysis and linear regression analyses. Both survey and focus group data gathered indicated that creativity of DIY consumers affects adoption of wearable technology. The characteristic of creativity helped participants overcome the initial intimidation of the device, allowed them to perceive it more favorably in terms of playfulness and usefulness, and also increased the likelihood of device adoption, especially if it could be customized. Building on this work, academic and industry professionals can address the needs of this increasingly powerful demographic of consumers alongside the advancement of wearable technology.