Customers Request the Darndest Things* 10 Challenges for VUI Designers Eduardo Olvera User Interface Designer.

Customers Request the Darndest Things*

10 Challenges for VUI Designers

Eduardo OlveraUser Interface Designer

Exhibit 1: The Customer

• Purchased system/solution• Has Business need• Has clear Objectives (most of the time)• Needs to hit numbers

– Return on Investment– Call Volumes– Transfer rates

• Brings preconceptions/experiences

Exhibit 2: The Service Provider

• Provides system/solution• Keeps User needs in mind• Brings experience/best practices• Has open mind• Understands design implications

Exhibit 3: The “user”

Exhibit 4: The Interaction

What to do?

Findroot of the problem

Understandfear, limited experience, business pressure

Explainreasons behind design decisions

10 things customers requested

what they meant

what they really mean

how to respond

“Instead of arguing, let’s just make it an option”1

“I guess I want 1. You give me too many choices.”

Situation:

Debate between options, good arguments, let user decide

Interpretation:

Hungry, no data, no way to guess

Real Problem:

Not enough info to decide

Design is about decisions

UI Designers know users

Only add things if need can be proven

User profiles – effect? value?

When in doubt, don’t add it

“We could just ask callers

and move on”

2

Situation:

Application needs parameter not available when needed

Interpretation:

Less work for me, can up sell more

Real Problem:

Questions are easy. Complexity passed on to callers

Hide complexity from users

Relevant questions only

Usability drives, technology follows

Evaluate impact of interruptions

“You are the experts.

I just need that option,

you decide where to put it”

3

Situation:

“minor” change, major impact

Interpretation:

I know business, control is mine, but I’ll give in a little

Real Problem:

Our perspective on roles and responsibilities is different

Design is about data and standards

Consistency is key – single source

Groups should reach consensus

Key players to drive and make decisions

“Don’t make it too advanced.

Our customers aren’t very sophisticated”4

Situation:

Users, designers and business owners are different (location, education, experience)

Interpretation:

How can users understand what took you so long to explain? Hold their hand

Real Problem:

Users won’t figure out something isn’t clear to me, plus complex implementation

Users know their tasks and needs

More steps or less information

doesn’t make designs simpler

Understand and observe users

User profiles

“But what if the customer does X?”5

Situation:

Everyone attempts to provide as much information as possible

Interpretation:

We have list of errors, design should avoid them

Real Problem:

A design that doesn’t include all cases is incomplete

Focus on how will it work

Focus on what callers will do

Best experience when things go well

Consider most common errors only

“Can we move it up to the main menu

to make it obvious?”

6

Situation:

Someone couldn’t find option

Interpretation:

If I’m confused, design should change. Minor fix, low impact.

Real Problem:

Important for us, afraid too hidden

Not everything should be obvious

Context filters information

Importance is relative

Design for all, not a few

Voice coaching provides flexibility

“But our current system (or other)

does it differently”

7

Situation:

Surprise due design aspect different from preconception

Interpretation:

You’re not only one knows similar systems and what they do

Real Problem:

Why your design is different from what I was thinking

Each design solves unique problems

Copying success is good…

…but understand their flaws

Successful companies do things

differently from leaders

“You don’t get it.

They need to know we offer X”

8

Situation:

Attempt to up sell or advertise low usage/new products

Interpretation:

You know design. I know business. Need to increase usage and chance to sell

Real Problem:

Prove negative impact without trying

Explain compromise

% benefited vs. affected

Objective measures

Human factors – effect?

Inform, hope for reason

“I don’t see why you say

it’s confusing”

9

Situation:

Successful system in place, customers and employees trained, you make suggestions

Interpretation:

We’ve been successful, we are leaders, we are the industry standard

Real Problem:

Identified problem they didn’t see

First experience, fresh perspective

Usability could reinforce, but resources

better spent elsewhere

Users adapt, doesn’t mean it’s right

User profiles – effect? value?

Prioritize and categorize suggestions

“We need to keep them in the system

…in a friendly way”

10

Situation:

Callers press 0 or ask for operator

Interpretation:

If they tried it and followed instructions, they would like it

Real Problem:

Giving users control complicates internal systems’ state

User’s can’t be forced

They’ll beat the system or get frustrated

Move on, even with incomplete data

Minimalist and simple design

And because with Customers

there’s always

something else…

“Why is Spanish not working as well as English?

We translated all clips…”

11

Situation:

Reach exploding market, minimize cost (hard to justify)

Interpretation:

Pesky requirement, everyone translates, straightforward process

Real Problem:

Don’t speak language. Lack of culture understanding

All languages same importance

Callers, tasks and needs are different

No neutral Spanish

Localization: language+culture+brand

Do it in full, look for divergence

Systems are not automated agents

They support agents

and automate simple, common things

Agents should handle complex tasks, add

value and build relationships

Q&A

Eduardo [email protected]

Slides available at vuidesign.net