"Open the Pod Bay Doors, Hal": A Primer on Conversational Voice Design

Have you ever wondered why Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant talk the way they do? Who scripts their dialogue? How do they come up with jokes? And why do they all sound female? This 60-minute workshop will offer an introduction into the world of voice design and offer participants the chance to script their own dialogue. We'll cover elements of psychology, sociology, linguistics, and human behavior to delve into the opportunities and constraints of voice-enabled technology. The session will include: - An overview of voice, tone, and crafting personality - The limits of current speech technology (command and control, error pathways) - How to create engaging dialogue and win user trust through the hero's journey - A 30-minute interactive session for participants to design their own script At the end of the session, users will walk away with a thorough understanding of the basics of conversational UI.