The 21st century has been a period of mass evolution. Man has progressed in high speed by evolving with time. While the seeds for human and machine relation were sowed long back during the industrial revolution in the 19th century, its progress is becoming more and more eminent with growing future. In this article, we will be discussing Designing for the Voice Enabled Interfaces.
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Designing for the Voice Enabled Interfaces
The latest inclusion in this field happens to be leveraging this very advantage posed by technology and utilizing them for further growth in the field. Researchers are now looking out to build an app by encompassing both written as well as spoken communication. Though a novel concept, with growing competition putting into practice this very aspect can prove beneficial. It’s thus important to be ready to design not only for visual but for voice prototypes too.
However, we do know there might be a lot of questions lingering in your head about what exactly does it mean designing using voice prototype and how can they work? Well, this blog is crafted with the very view of eliminating any doubt and by the end of the article, we are sure you will have the entire concept photocopied into your mind.
So, without wasting time, let’s get a quick run through the concept. We would look into each aspect with minute detailing so as to leave no room for any obscurity and clear the ambiguity related to the topic.
Unraveling the mystery of Voice Prototypes
Voice-enabled interfaces are no alien concept to humans. Though it has been present since long, its dominance over graphics has risen only in the recent past. As per research, man is constantly moving towards using voice assistants and the requirement of smart speakers has only moved towards the upward graph.
In comparison to graphics, Voice applications require a completely different UI Designing. A Voice UI revolutionize the way people human interacts with the machine. In comparison to GUI wherein the user may tend to blame themselves about not being accustomed to its App Designing, in case of VUI, the user will put the bar on the system.
Feeling a sense of connection
Communication and talking skills happen to be the very reason for a Voice UI Designing compatible application. Thus, more and more users are leaning towards downloading a Voice Application thereby getting away from the traditional graphics interface.
What does the Designing process Comprise of?
Now coming to the very highlight of this blog is App Designing that accommodates voice-based interface. UI Designing for VUI is no different yet just a level up in comparison to graphical UI. If you are acquainted with the designing process for graphics, the process of designing an app for voice-based products is much easier.
The five-magic formula for getting your App Designing for voice-based products done aptly:
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Research
The paramount requirement for any field is research. Before begging with the App Designing process, it is necessary to understand the pulse of users. This includes identifying the target audience, studying their need and behavior and what is the trouble they are facing with the present interface.
Pain Points and Language of Interaction
Under research comes two important points, pain points which will help throw light on how the user can be benefitted by the voice application and second is what are the exact phrases which can ease the interaction. Conveying information without glitches is the necessity here.
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Define your Purpose
Further, you must be able to determine the very reason why the user may use VUI. For this, you must define scenarios surrounding how the product offering can be valuable to the customer. In situations wherein you are obscure about which individual scenario to pick, you can evaluate the same using a matrix.
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Situations wherein customers will use the product
The scenarios must be compelling for the users to put into practice the voice UI design. It must be able to solve the problem must faster in comparison to other experiences.
For example –
- Giving instructions to the Voice application by directly interacting with it. For example – Alexa.
- When the user is engaged in other activity like cooking or driving.
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Create the Design
Before beginning with UI Designing for Voice based products creating a user interaction map in the form of storyboards and writing dialogues can help throw greater light into the missing loops. The designer will be in a better position to determine what new can be added and what modifications need to be made. Also, you will gain a proper stand regarding what phrases to apply when interacting with the user. Thus, start by creating a key scenario of every conversation between the app and the user.
Points to remember:
Keep it short
- Restrain from using commands and try to imply phrases to make the interactions normal
- Be crisp with the interaction without loading the user with too much of sentences.
- Keep correcting errors. During the designing of UI for the voice, you may come across many errors such as obscurity, misspellings, as well as answering to questions which the system might not have an answer for.
For example:
User: “Book me a table at the Renaissance Hotel for the weekend”
Voice System – “Sorry I couldn’t detect any bookings at Renaissance for the weekend”.
Herein you can either modify the question and answer but ensure to never go silent when the user asks a question.
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Prototyping
The final phase after you have researched, defined, written, mapped as well as tested dialogues are to move towards the App Designing phase and prototyping the design. However, it is necessary to use proper authentic tools to not break down in between
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Testing
The last is testing. Conduct testing with your target audience as only testing will help determine how well your VUI is working. And yes, do not forget to take feedbacks or record the session to improve further to refine the product with suitable updates.
Conclusion
As stated in the beginning, human and computer interaction has been beyond GUI. And with newer advancements, voice is growing as a lucrative medium for the newer generation to interact with technology. As a designer, you must thus be ready to keep oneself update, study and take new challenges thereby unleashing newer ways to improve the interaction.
We hope you have enjoyed this article about Designing for the Voice Enabled Interfaces and be sure to leave your comments below.