PDF of this tutorialDesign: Project Scope and System Architecture, Speech-User Interface Design
First, explore your business objectives and goals, and then evaluate how callers will use your system and what type of transactions it must support. Using this insight, create a list of the development tasks required to meet your objectives. Summarize the scope of your project and draft a high-level system architecture plan. Next, determine what applications will need to be developed and create specifications for development of your speech-enabled application, including prompt and playback messages and interfaces with host information systems. Plan what will be required to design a user interface that ensures a smooth, gradual transition to your speech-enabled environment. When your plan is complete, assign development responsibilities and obtain budgetary quotes for all planned project activities.
Develop: Prototype Application, Production Application
Develop a prototype application that will help you demonstrate and evaluate how users react to your new system. Observe and assess the experiences of a select group of testers as they access sample data and a subset of your system's ultimate functionality. After the testing of your prototype is completed, develop all of the features your production application will offer, including connectivity with data, telephony, and information systems in your environment.
Your application should include prompts that automatically provide callers with tips on how to get more direct access to a specific transaction the next time. Your callers will appreciate faster service, and you will save on customer service costs as the duration of an average call falls over time.
Test: Prototype Evaluation for Usability, Production Pilot Testing
Reduce risk by testing the usability of your prototype speech application before it is deployed throughout your enterprise. To prepare your system for introduction to targeted end users, make your prototype application available to selected callers involved in your industry or to customers participating in focus groups. Evaluate the experience of these minimally trained users in realistic, observed settings. Solicit caller feedback using surveys or other tools and plan usability improvements based on their suggestions.
Drawing on the results of your system's usability and prototype tests, implement a preliminary, limited deployment of your application. The pilot test serves as the foundation for the full-scale production of your speech solution. It verifies that your prototype system is accurately and reliably accessing back-end telephone, data, or information hosts as needed. It also aids in the assessment of the full functionality of your application to ensure that it is operating at peak efficiency.
For the first time, allow live, untrained callers to interact with your system as it actually operates in your business. Then evaluate call activity during the initial period of use. The pilot test is useful in identifying desired improvements for speech vocabulary libraries, prompts, recognition contexts designed to support transactions required by your customers, and other application functions.
Deploy: Production Deployment, User Interface Tuning
After your speech-enabled IVR system is fully deployed, there is still important work to be done. Your system must be monitored, and the user interface and vocabulary must be tuned to the production environment to ensure that your speech solution is consistently satisfying callers and meeting your initial business objectives.
Whenever you deploy significant system upgrades or functionality enhancements, maintaining system reliability can be a challenge. Evaluate how you can support fully functional speech-enabled IVR applications with minimal impact on system reliability.
Monitor: Post-Production Evaluation, Usability Monitoring
To monitor and evaluate the operation of your speech solution, track critical usability indicators such as recognition accuracy and transaction completion rates. Do these demonstrate solid application design and an effective user interface? To answer this question, create usage reports and detailed call statistics. Design evaluation tools such as customer satisfaction surveys. Continually strive to improve the usability of your speech-enabled application and fine-tune your system for maximum performance (see Figure 3).
Figure 3. Continuous Improvement Cycle
If I must outsource a part or all of the development and deployment of the speech solution for my IVR, how should I select a reliable partner?
- Has your potential speech partner established relationships with the best-of-breed speech technology developers? Are their experts qualified to help you select the best speech recognition technology for your specific application?
- Does your potential speech partner focus primarily on the development and deployment of speech applications for IVR environments? Is automated speech recognition fully integrated into the platform?
- Does your potential speech partner have the skills and experience required to prevent risk to your mission-critical systems during development and deployment of your speech solution?
- Does your potential speech partner have extensive expertise in developing applications for the IVR platform of your choice?
- Does your potential speech partner offer comprehensive design, development, and deployment services that span the entire life cycle of your solution?
