Voice User Interface
Finding a solution to help seniors who have little or no experience in technology learn how to communicate with and understand a native voice interface on a medical device wearable
Purpose
Client project to design and create native Voice User Interface content and dialogue flow for an eldercare medical device wearable.
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Objective 
The objective is to design a simple and intuitive native voice user interface for seniors over 75 so they understand how to communicate to their medical device wearable by commands, interactions and simple graphics.
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Approach
My approach is focused on research, content strategy, IA, accessibility, usability heuristics, and current voice UI best practices. I researched and attended workshops on Amazon Alexa and Google home VUI design guides for inspiration and implemented practices into a native design process.
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Responsibilities
• Voice User Interface information hierarchy, dialogue flow and script for initial voice training of wearable to seniors, including intents and utterances
• Visual content, including text and icons
• Quick start guide collateral
• Work side-by-side with CEO, CTO, customer service, software engineers, and other team members in a Lean UX iterative environment
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Process
Research
• Speech, visual and hearing impediments of those over 75 years old
• Voice requires cognitive processing so it's easy to overwhelm the listener
• Hick's Law - limit choices
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Information Architecture
• Dialog management; prioritize information
• Design a linear experience
• Use some spontaneity; repetition is a good teaching tool but can be monotonous
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Start with a conversation
• Brief and relevant; cut out extra words and qualifiers (adverbs and passive voice)
• Clearly present options without too many questions
• Make it clear that the user needs to respond
Design for the ear
• Read out loud; use simulator to hear how service interprets text
• Make it easy for senior to remember commands
• Use the oxford comma to help create pauses in speech
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Listen to how people talk and consider how they listen
• Context is key
• Identify conversational patterns
• Understand how questions are asked and answered
• Consider high pitch and low pitch sounds in words​
My Application of Nielsen Norman Group's
UI Design Usability Heuristics
to VUI Design Principles
Visibility of system status
• Write dialogue with intent that listeners know where they are
• Give regular feedback
• Make interface discoverable; present all options clearly at any given time
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Match between system and real world
• Start with a conversation by using words that are natural and spontaneous
• Remove artificial syntax and non-conversational words
User control and freedom
• Make it easy for the listener to have commands or questions repeated, yet commands should not feel didactic to listener
• Listener's ability to exit conversation at anytime
• Device cannot interrupt listener; permission-only conversation
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Consistency and standards
• Identify conversational patterns
• Consider audience and their listening, hearing and understanding capabilities (such as, seniors understand low pitch sounds more than high pitch)
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Error prevention
• Listener should not feel at blame for the device having an error and not understanding them (there is a difference among hearing, listening and understanding and they all take concentration)
• Listener should feel supported by the voice device
Flexibility and efficiency of use
• Context is important; consider colloquial synonyms
• Don't assume that listener knows what to do
• Understand how questions are asked and answered
• Allow listeners to not have to think about what to say, and allow them to not remember how to say it
Aesthetic and minimalist design
• Less is more; sentences should brief
• Clearly present options and avoid too many questions or options
• Consider grammar and syntax: cut out extra words like qualifiers such as adverbs, passive voice, and jargon or slang
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Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
• Make it clear that users need to respond
• Listener should not be exposed directly to error handling
• Let listener know what and where the error is and direct them to a place where they don't make an error
Help and documentation
• Offer help for complex situations
• Empty pauses (time) make listener feel like they are doing something wrong
• VUI should respond immediately if they need help