book

The Elements of Voice First Style

by Ahmed Bouzid, Weiye Ma

May 2022

Beginner

275 pages

4h 46m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

Audiobook available

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Preface
Who Should Read This Book?Why We Wrote This BookNavigating This BookO’Reilly Online LearningHow to Contact UsAcknowledgments
Introduction
1. Why Voice First
Eyes-FreeHands-FreeEphemeralityWealthPassivityMinimal EffortBroadcastingNonliteracy
2. When Voice First
EnvironmentContentUser StatePhysical StateCompetencyAvailabilityWillingnessChannelsSome ScenariosScenario 1Scenario 2Scenario 3
3. Why Voice First Automation
Reduce CostsHandle SpikesIncrease Customer SatisfactionIncrease Agent SatisfactionIncrease RevenueEnable PersonalizationFacilitate Task CompletionSecure PrivacyIncrease Security
4. The Three Core Characteristics of the VUI
Time LinearityUnidirectionalityInvisibility
5. The Elements of Conversation
The Ontology of ConversationsParticipantStatementTurnConversationThe Conversational ActionsThe Conversational StatesThe Internal Conversational ContextConversational SignalingSignaling StatesSignaling Transitions
6. The Rules of Conversation
The Cooperative PrincipleThe Maxim of QualityThe Maxim of QuantityThe Maxim of RelevanceThe Maxim of Manner
7. The Basic Tenets
The Voicebot Is Not a HumanThe Voicebot Should Be as Smart as the Data It Has—and No More!The Voicebot Should Be ConsistentThe Voicebot Should Be TransparentThe Voicebot Should Behave Respectfully
8. The Extra-Conversational Context
The State of the UserEmotional StateLinguistic CompetenceLevel of FamiliarityTechnical SavvinessPhysical ReadinessTask-Relevant PropertiesThe Physical ContextThe Social ContextThe Recent ContextUser PatternsUser-Base Patterns

9. The UI Use Case Fit
An Illustrative Use CaseBasic Heuristics
10. The Elements of Starting
Be BriefUse an Audio IconDrop the “Welcome to…”Never Ever Say, “Please Listen Carefully as Our Options Have Changed”Have the Voicebot Refer to Itself in the First PersonDrop “You Can Interrupt Me at Any Time”Keep the Origination Context in MindRemember the User’s PreferencesAnticipate User-Specific RequestsAnticipate General User-Base Requests
11. The Elements of Prompting
Prompt TypesWriting Effective PromptsUse Language That Is Commonly Used in ConversationsRemember That the User Will Mimic the VoicebotUnless It’s Essential to the Use Case, Don’t Use Slang or JargonPut the Most Important Information FirstUse Want Instead of WishAvoid Using SpeakUse ContractionsBe Consistent in Your WordingAvoid Mixing Recorded and TTS SpeechIt’s OK for a Sentence to End in a PrepositionAvoid Using WhomMinimize the Use of PleaseUse Incremental Prompts When Dealing with Expert UsersUse Tapering Prompts to Minimize on Wordy RepetitionsRequest an Explicit Confirmation Only When Necessary
12. Choices
Present the Most Requested Items FirstKeep the Menu List to Three Items or LessKeep the Menu Depth to Three Levels or LessAvoid the Construction of “for/to X, Say X; for/to Y, Say Y; for/to Z, Say Z”Don’t Use, “Please Select from the Following Options”Use the Same Part of Speech/Clausal Form When Listing Menu OptionsLet Users Ask, “What Are My Choices?”Let Users “Climb Back” the MenuOffer to Repeat the Menu Options After a 3-Second PauseTurn on Barge-In for Expert UsersInclude and Teach Shortcuts
13. Managing Failure
Types of FailureNo-InputNo-MatchMisrecognitionSystem FailureCauses of FailureNo-InputNo-MatchMisrecognitionSystemBest PracticesAlways Have the Voicebot Take the BlameGive the User Three ChancesOffer Explicit Examples of How to RespondBe Careful When You RepromptEstablish “Safety Points”Never Terminate a Conversation Unilaterally—Especially During RecoveryDon’t Be Repetitive During RecoveryOrient the User About Where They AreGive the User Information About the IssueDo Not Be Overly Apologetic
14. Help Strategies
Tell the User That Help Is AvailableDetect When the User Needs HelpStructure Your HelpMention the Basic Task the Voicebot Is Trying to SolveOffer Help to the Most Frequently Encountered Problems FirstReturn from Where You Left Off After Giving HelpBe Concise and Specific with Your HelpUse Context to Guide Your ExplanationsIllustrate Your Explanations with ExamplesOffer Help Only When It Is Needed
15. Verbal Dialogue Marking
Acknowledge Receipt of InformationAnnounce That the User Is About to Receive Some InformationMark SequencesMark the Beginning and End of a SectionMark FailuresShow Light at the End of the TunnelIndicate Implicitly That the Voicebot Still Owns the TurnTell the User Explicitly That They Are Being Placed on HoldDon’t Repeat the Same Marker Twice in a RowPay Attention to the Markers After a Failure Strategy
16. Nonverbal Dialogue Marking
Types of Nonverbal AudioOpening the DialogueSignaling That It’s the User’s Turn to SpeakSignaling That the Voicebot Is Busy Doing Something and Is Holding the TurnWaiting for the User to Give an AnswerAfter a No-InputAnnouncing a List of ChoicesEntering a New SectionMarking Transition from One List Item to the NextAnnouncing HelpEnding the Conversation
17. Language Design
On “Naturalness”Key TermsDesigning an Effective Language ModelClearly Define the Problems That Your Voicebot Can Help the User WithCommunicate Why the Voicebot Exists and What It Can Help the User Do Outside of the VoicebotSpend Time Building a Clean OntologyDo Not Design Your Language from the ArmchairGo Explicit When Recovering from a Language Error
18. On Silence
Prior to Listing OptionsBetween Options in a Menu ListBetween Categories of OptionsWhen Interacting with Power UsersAfter EchoingBefore and After TTS Prompts
19. The Elements of Closing
Allow the Users to Explicitly End the DialogueAllow the User to Request a HumanWhen the User Has to Wait, Provide a Waiting Time EstimateProvide the Option to Cancel a Transfer to a HumanKeep the “While-You-Wait” Audio RelevantUnderstand the User’s State of Mind When You Play the “While-You-Wait” AudioNever Say, “Your Call Is Important to Us”Don’t Make the User Repeat to the Human Information They Provided to the VoicebotMake the Human Agent Aware That the Customer Was Interacting with the VoicebotAvoid Transferring Users from One Voicebot to AnotherDon’t Play Phone Rings Unless You Are Transferring Directly to a HumanReassure Users of SuccessDon’t Provide Any Crucial New InformationGive the User a Quick TipOffer to Reach Back
20. Voice First Notifications
Fundamental ConsiderationsKey Notification AttributesNotification UrgencyNotification ContentDelivery ContextKey Form FactorsFar-Field VoiceNear-Field VoiceIn-Ear VoiceSome Best PracticesBe Mindful of the Receiver’s Time ZoneProvide Some ContextCut to the ChaseRepeat the Important InformationProvide the User with a Way to Get More DetailsSome ScenariosScenario 1Scenario 2Scenario 3
21. Laying Out the Foundations
Bring Together All the Key PlayersDefine the Business GoalsDefine User Needs and IntentIdentify User TasksIdentify Usage PatternsDefine the Voicebot’s Voice Register
22. The Key to Successful Product Launches
Write Everything Out in Full SentencesYour Press Release Needs to Be Crystal ClearYour Answers Are Given in One or Two Paragraphs at Most, and Not Much MoreAnswer the Basic Questions FirstDescribe Clearly the Research You Have DoneBe Modest and Cautious in Your Claims and StatementsMake Your Document Readable by EveryoneList the Functional Requirements in Terms of What the User Can DoDescribe the Intended Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in Detail
23. The Elements of Deployment
Product ManagementProduct MarketingUX ResearchUX DesignDevelopmentQuality EngineeringFunctional TestingTraversal TestingStress TestingBeta TestingProgram Management
24. Post-Launch Monitoring
Sources of InformationInteraction LogsThe Audio of the InteractionsEnd UsersThe Basic QuestionsWhere Are Users Abandoning the Session?Where Are Users Asking to Be Connected to a Human Agent?Where Are Users Saying the Wrong Things?Where Are Users Not Saying Anything?Where Are Users Speaking Too Soon?What Is the Noise Level of Your User’s Environment?What Options Are Your Users Asking For?How Are Users Feeling About the Voicebot?
25. The Elements of Voice First Success
Abandonment RateAutomation RateAverage Number of Failures per SessionAverage Number of Failures per TaskAverage Task Completion TimeContainment RateFirst-Use Resolution RateTask Completion RateTask Initiation RateTime to Task
26. Coda
A. The 10 Sources of Voice First Failures!
B. Demonstrating Voice First
Remove All Prompts That Explicitly Talk About FailureDon’t Speak Over PromptsDon’t Have the Voicebot Talk for More Than 10 Seconds When It Starts Without Giving the Turn Back to YouTest the Voicebot with the Same Equipment You Will Use in the DemoHave Two or Three Backup Ways to Demo the VoicebotTest the Application in the Same Room and Environment Where You Will Do the DemoKnow How to Gracefully End a Telephony-Based VoicebotAsk for SilenceNever Improvise or Show Off While DemoingIf, for Whatever Reason, the Voicebot Fails, Be Honest About Why It FailedNo Cheat Sheets!Speak NormallyDon’t Leave Long Silences Between Words When You SpeakKeep It Really Short
C. Useful Matrices
The Assessment Matrix Cheat SheetValue-Usability MatrixFeature Expectation MatrixAutomation-Complexity MatrixQuadrant 1Quadrant 2Quadrant 3Quadrant 4
A Voice First Glossary
References
Index
About the Authors

Overview

If you're a new or experienced designer of conversational voice first experiences, this handy reference provides actionable answers to key aspects of eyes-busy, hands-busy, voice-only user interfaces. Designed as a companion to books about conversational voice design, this guide includes important details regarding eyes-free, hands-free, voice-only interfaces delivered by Amazon Echo, Google Nest, and a variety of in-car experiences.

Authors Ahmed Bouzid and Weiye Ma provide far-field voice best practices and recommendations in a manner similar to The Elements of Style, the popular American English writing style guide. Like that book, The Elements of Voice First Style provides direct, succinct explanations that focus on the essence of each topic. You'll find answers quickly without having to spend time searching through other sources.

With this guide, you'll be able to:

Craft just the right language to enable your voicebot to effectively communicate with humans
Create conversational voice interfaces that are robust enough to handle errors and failures
Design highly usable conversational voice interfaces by paying attention to small details that can make or break the experience
Build a design for a voice-only smart speaker that doesn't require customers to use their eyes or hands

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