Where I Come From, They Don't Talk To You Like That
Think about “automated phone systems” or “trying to phone up a human at a company these days” and the next thing to come to mind is probably not “great user experience.” But that’s what Nuance Communications’ Professional Services group is tasked with every day: designing successful computer-human interactions over the phone, with voice as (most often) the only medium. While these systems never lack for enumerated requirements from the system or corporate perspective, understanding the callers and their context is too often given short shrift. In this talk, Steve will illustrate how a variety of prior experiences affect callers’ expectations before they call, and consider some of the implications for voice-only interfaces. We’ll discuss how the first few seconds of a call greatly affect a caller's willingness to listen, to act, and to react. And we'll consider what may go on in the caller's head after they hang up, and how that may inform their next calling experience. Stephen Springer is the Senior Director for User Interface Design at Nuance Communications, Inc. Since joining SpeechWorks (which became Nuance) in 1998, Steve has been a central contributor to tools & best practices facilitating state-of-the-art dialog processing. As Senior Director, Steve leads the ongoing dialog amongst Nuance designers on the art and science of user-centered design for speech applications, sets global standards for UI best practice, coordinates the implementation of new tools and processes, and consults to key accounts. He has led the design of systems that handle millions of calls, with Transaction Completion Rates exceeding 98%. Steve is a published author and presenter and has over 25 years of experience in the design and implementation of intelligent language systems. |
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