Creating compelling content for conversational interfaces

1. You be VUI
“How do I make a peanut bu1er
and jelly sandwich?”

2. Bears in High Heels
Compelling content
for
conversa2onal interfaces

4. Past, present, future
The next tech UI pivot
All the modes
>> Voice- Bi-, MulG-, Inter-, Cross-
ConversaGonal-ish

7. I bought an Echo, and now Alexa is
basically a member of the family.

8. Exchange meaning and information
Relate
Share emotion
Transact
Fill time
Amusement
Conversa6on

9. Where we are
Things we already do with voice
Updates and messages
Trivia, facts, quizzes, tasks
Reminders, requests, lists, games
Simple transacGons
Environment (lights, music, sleep)

10. MIA so far
Things we already do with voice
ExplanaGons
Complex meaning
Subtlety
SophisGcated humor
Real conversaGon

11. Jeopardy The Magic door Allrecipes
the Skimm Black History Facts

12. Goldilocks
Story
Rhythm
Life lessons
Feeling our language
ExperimentaGon
Balance

13. Balance
IntersecGons
“Just right”

14. Ginger Rogers
(Astaire) was able to do dances on
screen that would have been
impossible to risk if he hadn't had a
partner like Ginger
Being be1er than expected

15. Backwards and in high heels
ExpectaGons and rules about content
and meta-informaGon are ingrained,
subtle, and challenging
Beyond choreography to anGcipaGon,
interpretaGon, response, and grace

16. OpportuniGes
Fresh content
More contextual
Personal and relatable
Pleasant surprises
Faster, easier, more enjoyable

17. Content that ma1ers
TransacGonal: What’s my goal?
What’s required to make that
happen?
InformaGonal: What do I want to
know? What order and structure?
Will I want more?

18. Content that ma1ers
Entertaining: What delights me?
What keeps me interested and
coming back?
EducaGonal: What do I need to learn?
What helps me? How do I know I’m
learning the right things?

19. “I really need to see you”

20. Challenges
Verbal words
DistracGon
Working and outsourced memory
Delivery

21. Challenges
Not “no UI / zero interface”
Meaning and clarity
Naturalness, familiarity, predictability

22. Principles and guidelines
WIIFM
Faster, easier, more enjoyable
Satisfying and useful
Fresh and energeGc
Grice
Radio rules

23. Structurally and contextually
appropriate
Engaging and pleasing
Memorable
Recovery and conGnuaGon
Principles and guidelines

24. AestheGcs, rhythm, melody, chunks
Non-verbal audio
Spontaneity and pleasant surprises
Light humor
Comparison and contrast
AlliteraGon, rule of 3s
Principles and guidelines

25. Jeopardy The Magic door Allrecipes
the Skimm Black History Facts

26. Bad examples
Wrong words
Wrong number of words
Wrong order
Wrong chunks
Wrong Gming
Wrong tasks
Wrong context

27. Resources
-The Media EquaGon: How People Treat Computers, Television,
and New Media Like Real People and Places (Nass…)
- Voice User Interface Design (Cohen…)
- Designing Voice User Interfaces: Principles of ConversaGonal
Experiences (Pearl)
- www.avixd.org
- Gricean maxims: h1ps://www.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/
dravling/grice.html
- Radio: h1p://training.npr.org/audio/wriGng-for-radio-a-
manifesto-from-nprs-chris-joyce/
- Dialogue: h1ps://thewritepracGce.com/dialogue-powerful/

28. Phillip Hunter
phillip.hunter@pulselabs.ai
@designoutloud