Understanding Conversational Interfaces
At its heart, a conversational interface is designed to simulate an interaction with another person. There are principally two varieties:
- Chatbots (like Facebook’s M Virtual Assistant)
- Virtual Assistants (such as Siri, Google Now, and Amazon Alexa)
Crafting an engaging and practical conversational interface is a substantial UX challenge. Traditional methods suited for visual user interfaces don’t transfer well to conversational design. This calls for a significant design paradigm shift—moving from visual emphasis to a focus on text and conversation. Although establishing conversational UX best practices is an ongoing endeavor, we can pinpoint fundamental principles applicable to both chatbots and voice-enabled virtual assistants.
1. Seamless Conversation Flow
A great conversational interface ensures a smooth, natural conversation. Its main goal is to lessen the user’s effort in communication with the system, positioning the interface as a helper, not a hurdle.
Defining System Goals
Don’t overcomplicate your design by trying to do it all. It’s advantageous to develop a focused chatbot or voice assistant aimed at fulfilling particular user needs. Recognize and meet these needs with minimal inputs from the user. Consider these questions when determining your system’s purpose:
- Which user problems will it solve efficiently?
- What benefits will it provide both users and you as the designer?
Guidance is Key
Unlike graphical interfaces that display limited choices, conversational interfaces offer myriad pathways. First-time users often ask:
- “How does this work?”
- “What can it do for me?”
Since users won’t inherently know what’s possible, providing clear guidance is crucial. If you’re creating a chatbot, for instance, start with an introduction and a simple action prompt.
Steer Clear of Complex Questions
There’s a distinction between closed and open questions:
- Closed question (e.g., “What color is your shirt?”)
- Open question (e.g., “Why did you choose that shirt color?”)
Open questions, while conversationally engaging, can lead to confusion and are harder for systems to decipher. Similarly, avoid politeness that may prompt unnecessary user responses.
2. Empowering the User
Harkening back to Jakob Nielsen’s essential heuristics for usability, user control and autonomy rank among the highest priorities in interface design. It’s critical that users feel in control, not constrained by your product.
Undo and Cancel Options
Mistakes happen, and users need a clear way to reverse actions. This is easy in graphical interfaces but should be equally straightforward in conversational ones.
Ability to Restart
At any point, users should be able to begin the conversation anew.
Seek Confirmation
To prevent errors, repeat back user inputs for confirmation—especially for sensitive information. If the details are incorrect, provide instruction on the correct format or content needed.
Assistance Availability
Integrate assistance options for when users need support.
3. Infusing Personality
The tone of conversation is just as crucial as its flow.
Humanizing Interactions
No one enjoys robotic interactions. Emulate a natural talking flow, using language and tone that align with your audience’s preferences.
Keep it Short and Sweet
Avoid long, drawn-out sentences. Opt for brevity, address one point at a time and after receiving the necessary information, move forward.
