To grasp a larger understanding of VUI and VXD I was involved with Jayco to obtain experience on the integration of voice activated commands using Alexa in Australia’s first ever voice activated caravan. This project allowed for me to take UX processes in a different direction with the sole focus on the voice design. Due to an NDA full research and insights are unable to be published, however details on the process are as follows.
Discovery Phase
To identify the user and business requirements through:
Competitor analysis
Quantitative research
Qualitative research
Existing data sources
From research and data sources from creating the customer journey, affinity and empathy map, 4 key segments were identified, allowing personas to be established, thus understanding what type of "personality" would work best in VXD. A great user experience is not about just making the interface usable or functional but also creating an emotion.
The use of Alexa over Google home brings more warmth to the customer experience, like you are talking to a friend making the technology feel less robotic and more human centred putting the less tech savvy users at ease.
For example:
“Alexa lights on” over “OK Google lights on”
Voice Interaction Use Cases
User Journey Describing scenarios in which users will find useful, then Identify major scenarios to describe the purpose of the interface and ways the user can interact with them.
Designing the Dialogue
Creation of sample dialogue in order to show the conversational flow between the system and the user.
User: “Alexa, please turn off the kitchen lights”
Alexa: “OK” <LIGHTS TURN OFF>
“Would you like the bedroom lights off too?”
User: "No thank you"
Further points to take into consideration when designing the dialogue script included:
- Initiation
- Knowing what to say
- Mapping to possible actions
- Feedback and dialogues
- Recognition and correction of errors
Even though users are asking for the same action to be completed the conversational context is different on the second and third attempts.
Recommendations
Due to the personas varying from middle age – elderly, as well as low – high tech savvy.
The “keep it simple” dialogue approach with short, simple and clear commands in order for tasks to be actioned without fuss. For further details on this product that was launched earlier this year and to see Alexa in action: