VUX World

We're honoured to be joined by Paul Jackson, Senior Designer at the BBC, to discuss how the Beeb are approaching VUI design, with a particular focus on designing Alexa Skills for kids.Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioVUI design for kidsThe BBC is killing it in voice right now. It's one of the only companies with a full in-house voice and AI team and it consists of tens of people. It's investing heavily on what it believes is the future of content. This week, we're lucky enough to step inside the BBC and see how it's approaching voice design.We speak to Senior Designer on the Voice and AI team, Paul Jackson, about his experience in creating the CBeebies Alexa Skill and how you can apply the learnings to your voice user experiences, regardless of whether you're creating for kids or not.We discuss:The make-up of the BBC's Voice and AI teamHow the BBC are thinking about and approaching voiceThe challenges of Natural Language Understanding with kidsUser research findings from testing skills with kidsTranslating real-world insights into mimicked voice experiencesBest practice for designing VUI experiences for kidsSome of the BBC's 12 principles of designing for voiceLimiting options and choiceBalancing discovery and choiceThe use of sound, audio and recording with talentThe implementation approach and skills within skillsRelease cycles and continuous improvementThe whole episode is littered with clips from the CBeebies Alexa Skill as we move through the conversation and highlight examples of design thinking and how it translates to the end-result.This one is not to be missed.LinksFollow the BBC UXD team on Twitterand InstagramFollow Paul on Twitter and InstagramEnable the CBeebies skillHead to Mobile UX LondonEnquire about the Designing for Voice Course(mention VUX World to save 10%) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samsung has opened up Bixby to developers, so we've rounded up two Samsung Bixby Developer Experts, Bob Stalzberg and Roger Kibbe, to get to the heart of what this means for the voice community.Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioLinksFollow Bob on TwitterFollow VoiceXP on TwitterVisit the VoiceXP websiteFollow Roger on TwitterFollow VoiceCraft on TwitterVisit the VoiceCraft websiteCheck out the Samsung Bixby Developer Portal  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discussing the latest insights and research in voice SEO and showing you how you can get discovered on Google Assistant, with the MD of Rabbit and Pork, John Campbell.Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioVoice SEOVoice SEO is a roaring-hot topic. All the top marketing and business publications have been writing about the importance of voice searchall year. But, little has been documented on how to actually do anything about it. Until now.John Campbell is the Head of SEO at Roast, London, and has more recently become the founder and MD of a new voice agency, Rabbit and Pork.John's experience in the SEO field is serving him ideally in breaking into the voice assistant space. Through using traditional SEO tools and techniques, John has been experimenting with ways in which brands can be found on voice assistants, and he joins us this week to share what he's learned recently.It'll blow your mind.In this episodeIn this episode, you'll learn some practical tips on what you can do to have your content found on Google Assistant. Using the latest research, data and insights, John takes us through some of the work he's been doing recently and shares the results he's been achieving.Amongst other things, we discuss:Implicit invocationsWhat they are and how they're usedThe benefits of being the implicitly inovocated action, including gaining search volume data and keeping people engagedHow past advice on the web is a little out datedDeveloping a strategy for your own business/skillHow to set up implicit invocations on Google Assistant and Amazon AlexaWhat results can you expect?What the future could hold with implicit invocation rankingHow to find key phrases that people might be voice searchingWe discuss Roast's studies of 10,000 key phrases and discuss the trends in how Google Assistant serves results, including starting to rank actions in search results and serve them as a higher priority that featured snippets. The graph below, for example, shows how, prior to an action existing, Google Assistant wasn't serving a search result at all. Once the action was launched, Google Assistant started sending people to the action, rather than serving nothing.We discuss how you can spot these opportunities and create an action where there isn't currently a Google Assistant search result.Explicit invocationsWhat it is and how it's usedHow you can promote your action or skill, including how to target specific Alexa or Google Assistant owners in online adsHow to measure the success of promotional activityWe also discuss the future of voice SEO and where it's all heading, including skill-to-skill connections and much, much more.LinksVisit the Roast websiteRabbit and Pork website (coming soon)Follow Rabbit and Pork on TwitterFollow John Campbell on Twitter Follow Roast on TwitterCheck out the latest Voice SEO report from Roast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Dustin Coates and I discuss the importance of sound design in voice experiences with the founder of Man Made Music, Joel Beckerman.Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioSound design for voice experiencesMan Made Music were voted the third most innovative company in music, behind Apple and Spotify. Its founder; author and composer, Joel Beckerman, has scored experiences for the worlds most iconic brands, including AT&T, Disney, Nissan, Mercedes, Southwest Airlines and IMAX, to name a few.On this episode, Joel joins us to discuss:The importance of scoring experiences, such as theme parks and electric carsBranding opportunities within sound designSonic cues and subtletyUser centric sound designWhat's missing from most voice experiences?What happens when you recreate the sound scapes for three Alexa skills?Are smart speakers changing audio branding?What's involved in creating a sonic identity?The importance of a brand anthemHow brands can get started with sonic branding for voice assistantsWhat will the future sound like?LinksVisit the Man Made Music websiteCheck out Joel's book: The Sonic Boom: How Sound Transforms the Way We Think, Feel and BuyVisit Joel's websiteFollow Man Made Music on TwitterWatch all of the IMAX videos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioVUI design for the elderly10,000 people turn 65 every day in the USA and the UK has an ageing population, too. In America, the over 65s control over 70% of the country's discretionary spending. The opportunities in providing value to the once-termed 'silver surfers' could be hugely profitable, and Heidi Culbertson has her finger right on the pulse.Over the last 2 years with Ask Marvee, Heidi has trained and tested voice experiences with literally thousands of older people. Today, Heidi joins us on the show to share with you what she's learned.In this episode, we discuss:Why voice for the older generation is so importantWhat opportunities exist in providing value to older people both on the B2C and B2B sideHow Ask Marvee is helping the older generation's wellbeingHow to segment and target this market (they're not all the same)What's different when designing a voice experience for the elderlyVUI design best practice for older adultsLinksVisit the Ask Marvee websiteFollow Ask Marvee on TwitterFollow Heidi on TwitterEmail Heidi: heidi@askmarvee.comWatch Heidi's talk at the Voice Summit 2018 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A deep dive into the three pillars of conversation design: psychology, technology and creative writing, with Robocopy's Hans Van Dam.Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioConversation designConversation design is more than simply putting some words on a page and hoping for the best. The assembly of words is only part of the job of a conversation designer.To design natural conversations that mimic what we're accustomed to having with our fellow homo sapiens, it takes an understanding of the three pillars: psychology, technology and writing.In this episodeThis week, we're joined by Hans Van Dam, founder of conversation design agency, Robocopy, and creator of top conversation design training program, conversationalacademy.com, to be taken through the details of what it takes to design great conversational experiences.Hans takes us through:Why understanding the technology is important. Human and computer brains are different. Appreciating what's different and the constraints you're operating in will help you work within your limits and get the most of of your conversation.Why psychology is key. We discuss things like anchoring, framing, social proof and plenty more psychological tools that can help you improve the user experience and success of your conversations.Why copywriting is all you have and how to make the most of it. We've covered how writing for the screen is different to writing for the ear in our conversation with Oren Jacob of Pullstring. We take that concept further in this episode and discuss some of the mistakes brands make when designing conversation, as well as who should be designing them.We also get into detail on things like the importance persona design, measuring success and a whole host more.LinksVisit the Robocopy websiteCheck out the Conversational AcademyFollow Hans on TwitterNudge by Case Sustein and Richard Thaler on AmazonKurt Vonnegut’s 8 Rules for Writing Fiction   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Translating the recent happenings in voice news into insights and recommendations for designers, developers and brands. As ever, lots has been occurring recently. In this episode of the rundown, we discuss:The state of voice assistants by Adobe and how we're seeing increased usage in the 'third category'. That is, people are using more in-depth functionality on their voice assistants. That opens doors for richer voice experiences and suggests that customers can handle more complex, transactional interactions.The picture of voice shopping - thanks to Charlie Cadburyfor sharing - and how voice is being used, not just for making transactions, but throughout the purchase journey and after sales as well. This looks at voice commerce in a more broader setting and shows that there's opportunities for brands in and around the shopping experience, not just at the transactional end.Alexa for business room booking and whether the productivity gain will be worth climbing into bed with Amazon.Skill to skill connections and the potential for joining together voice experiences. Whether that'll take-off and whether there'll be opportunities for paid referrals within skills.AVS for Set-Top-Boxes which will allow set-top-box manufacturers to add Alexa to their devices. Another nod to a multi-modal future.Google Home hub launches without a camera and is yet another sign and the screen and voice will play a joint role in the home.Google rolls out payments for Assistant that lets brands and developers offer digital goods for sale on a one time or subscription basis. Monetisation is creeping upon us and with that comes opportunities for those who can find the right voice experience that's worth paying for.Google Sign-in for Assistant which lets customers sign in to third party actions via their Google account. This is the voice equivalent of the 'sign in with Google' or 'sign in with Facebook' that we see on websites and is a great friction-stripping step for voice.Facebook announce Portal and whether it'll ever catch on.If you have a news story you'd like us to cover in the next episode of the Rundown, or if you have a question you'd like Kane and Dustin to answer, hit us up on Twitter, Instagramor get in touch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pulse Labs founders, Abhishek Suthan and Dylan Zwick share their advice on VUI design best practice that they've learned from conducting voice first usability testing with over 120 brands.Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioThe search for VUI design best practiceIn web design, there are standards. Common design patterns and best practice that you'll find on most websites and apps.The burger menu, call to action buttons, a search bar at the top of the page. These have all been tried and tested and are par for the course on most websites.In voice, that best practice is still to be worked out. And today's guests have begun to uncover it.Pulse Labs is a voice first usability testing company. They conduct global remote user research by testing voice experiences for brands. Think of it almost like usertesting.com, but specifically for voice.After working with over 120 brands, the founders; Abhishek Suthan and Dylan Zwick, have stumbled upon some of the most common mistakes that designers and developers make in their Google Assistant Actions and Alexa Skills.Through design iterations and further testing, they've worked out what some of that best practice looks like.In this episodeOver the course of this episode, we hear from Abhishek and Dylan about some of the most common mistakes designers make when it comes to voice user experience design.We discuss how these issues can be fixed, as well as further best practice when designing for voice, including:How to architect your voice app and design flat menusHow to handle errors and recover from failureFraming experiences and handling expectationsWhen to apply confirmations and when to make assumptionsAnd a whole host moreThis episode is one to listen to again and again. No doubt the standards will change as and when the tech advances and usage grows, but for now, this is probably the best start there is in defining best practice in voice.LinksVisit the Pulse Labs websiteEmail Dylan ZwickFollow Pulse Labs on TwitterFollow Dylan on TwitterFollow Pulse Labs on FacebookFollow Pulse Labs on LinkedIn  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we take a deep dive into voice first social networks and messaging, as we explore whether these platforms are poised for success or doomed to fail. We also discuss some of the challenges in building a voice first product, including the limitations of the tech stack and how VUI design is a way of compensating for this.To take us through the world of voice first social, we're joined by Daniel Gonzalez, co-founder of voice first messaging platform, SoundBite.Where to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioIn this episode, we discuss:The current state of play in social voice, how most voice first social platforms are using an old social media model and how SoundBite differs.Design challenges in designing social voice platforms, multi modal implications and perfecting a narrow use-case.Details of the inherent technology challenges built into today's voice assistants and how to compensate for it with VUI design.The future of the voice assistant technology landscape and how SoundBite are working towards it, including using Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and acoustic modelling instead of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP).LinksSoundBite websiteFollow Daniel on TwitterEmail Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voice first technology has the potential to transform organisations. Join Dustin and I as we dig into how voice is being used to create efficiencies within businesses with Silver founder, Shawn Kanungo.Silver, an agency based in Canada, is helping organisations use voice to streamline business processes, access line of business systems and improve productivity. We speak to the founder, ex-Deloitte digital transformation guru and speaker, Shawn Kanungo, to find out how it's done.In this episode, we discuss:How voice plus other exponential technologies will disrupt every industry & government agenciesWhat voice looks like when it's combined with robotic process automation (RPA) and moreWhat does voice mean for a digital transformation strategy for an enterprise?How Silver take a human-centered approach to voice by doing ethnographic researchOrganisational culture and whether workers are ready for enterprise level voiceThe future of voice and whether we'll see a billion dollar company built on a voice platformWhere to listenApple podcastsSpotifyYouTubeCastBoxSpreakerTuneInBreakerStitcherPlayerFMiHeartRadioLinkshttps://silverdrip.comhttps://www.shawnkanungo.com/Silver on InstagramSilver on TwitterSilver on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.