Comparing LLM-Based Conversational and Graphical Interfaces for Industrial Decision Tasks: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Figliè, Roberto, Caputo, Simone, Serrano, Alan, Turchi, Tommaso, Mazzei, Daniele
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Figliè, Roberto
Caputo, Simone
Serrano, Alan
Turchi, Tommaso
Mazzei, Daniele
author_facet Figliè, Roberto
Caputo, Simone
Serrano, Alan
Turchi, Tommaso
Mazzei, Daniele
contents The use of Generative AI Conversational User Interfaces (CUI) as a new way to access and analyze data is growing in all sectors, and the industrial one is no exception. There, large amounts of data produced by IoT devices are flowing through user interfaces and may require them a new adaptation to the new analyses needs of decision-makers. LLM-based CUIs are promising a new way to directly interact with those data through the directness of natural language and without the learning costs that every GUI design has. Moreover, the capabilities of LLMs and their agency open up the possibility to automate some tasks and help with the reasoning during decision-making activities. But are this promises well founded? We try to scope this general question with a mixed-approach study comparing a state-of-the-art dashboard with a conversational agent. A total of 20 participants used both interfaces to complete four simulated industrial decision tasks of varying complexity. We combined measures of mental workload, completion time, and decision accuracy with a post-study questionnaire and semi-structured interviews analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings suggest that the conversational agent can reduce interactional effort by supporting more direct access to information, while the dashboard remains valuable for overview and verification. However, these benefits may vary across tasks and require validation through larger-scale studies.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_31224
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Comparing LLM-Based Conversational and Graphical Interfaces for Industrial Decision Tasks: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study
Figliè, Roberto
Caputo, Simone
Serrano, Alan
Turchi, Tommaso
Mazzei, Daniele
Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
Human-Computer Interaction
The use of Generative AI Conversational User Interfaces (CUI) as a new way to access and analyze data is growing in all sectors, and the industrial one is no exception. There, large amounts of data produced by IoT devices are flowing through user interfaces and may require them a new adaptation to the new analyses needs of decision-makers. LLM-based CUIs are promising a new way to directly interact with those data through the directness of natural language and without the learning costs that every GUI design has. Moreover, the capabilities of LLMs and their agency open up the possibility to automate some tasks and help with the reasoning during decision-making activities. But are this promises well founded? We try to scope this general question with a mixed-approach study comparing a state-of-the-art dashboard with a conversational agent. A total of 20 participants used both interfaces to complete four simulated industrial decision tasks of varying complexity. We combined measures of mental workload, completion time, and decision accuracy with a post-study questionnaire and semi-structured interviews analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings suggest that the conversational agent can reduce interactional effort by supporting more direct access to information, while the dashboard remains valuable for overview and verification. However, these benefits may vary across tasks and require validation through larger-scale studies.
title Comparing LLM-Based Conversational and Graphical Interfaces for Industrial Decision Tasks: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study
topic Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
Human-Computer Interaction
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.31224