The essence of interaction has always involved authentic communication, transcending past traditional graphical interfaces to what we now foresee as the Voice User Interfaces (VUIs)—the avant-garde of interfaces that cater for modern interaction. An interface, whether it be a Graphical User Interface (GUI), a VUI, or some other form, is fundamentally a bridge facilitating interaction between people and systems. But why are VUIs a big deal? There are two primary reasons:
- Voice communication is instinctive; it’s an innate way we interact, one that is generally associated with other human beings, not technology.
- There is no learning curve of new icons or commands. Users can converse using their native tongue to issue instructions, which greatly minimizes the learning period.
Furthermore, user expectations have evolved. Citing statistics from Statista, a significant portion of millennials have adopted voice search, opening the door to VUI systems.
Emerging VUI Trends
As the field of VUI design blossoms, it presents unique challenges and opportunities to designers. The good news is that traditional UI design principles still hold when applying them to VUIs. Here we explore key trends destined to sculpt the future of VUIs.
1. Building a Trustworthy VUI
A trusted interface lays the groundwork for meaningful human-machine interactions. Without trust, users are reluctant to engage. Achieving trust involves:
- Enhancing speech recognition with sophisticated Natural Language Processing (NLP).
- Interpreting user intent accurately—understanding the user’s issue is paramount.
- Delivering helpful error messages when misunderstandings occur.
- Designing context-driven user flows that predict user needs and suggest next steps, such as finding a nearby restaurant.
The element of user control, which is one of the usability heuristics proposed by Jakob Nielsen, applies to VUIs as well. Implications include:
- Respecting the brain’s natural limitations, such as the capacity of short-term memory. Avoid overwhelming users with too much information at once.
- Providing clear feedback on user requests, ensuring the user understands the system’s actions, similar to providing visual cues or process indicators.
2. Adaptive User Interfaces
The Adaptive User Interface (AUI) responds dynamically to the user’s needs or context. VUIs of the future will analyze user data, including mental state and health, to offer more personalized responses.
3. VUI That Exudes Personality
Unlike the vast design choices in GUI to showcase personality, VUI designers rely on the language, voice, and tone to shape identity and evoke emotions. A human-sounding voice that communicates clearly is essential.
4. Progressing from Narrow AI to General Intelligence
While conversational interfaces are appealing, users crave more. Current AI systems typically fall under Narrow AI, limited to specific tasks. General Intelligence (GI), by contrast, boasts self-learning capabilities and can apply knowledge to a broader range of problems.
5. Societal Impact
The widespread acceptance of VUI systems is on the horizon, with AI poised to enhance interaction, help make significant life decisions, and improve quality of life for various groups including the elderly and disabled.
Conclusion
Golden Krishna, in his book “The Best Interface Is No Interface,” emphasizes the public desire for less screen time and more streamlined technology. As we advance in processing power, we’re moving towards a future where screens give way to AI-assisted, voice-driven collaboration beyond what we currently imagine.
