Conversational Design

A Book Apart #25

by Erika Hall, John Maeda (Foreword)

How do we make digital systems feel less robotic and more real? Whether you work with interface or visual design, front-end technology, or content design, learn why conversation is the best model for creating device-independent, human-centered systems. Research and information design expert Erika Hall explains what makes an interaction truly conversational and how to get more comfortable using language in design. From understanding the human interface, to effectively using the power of personality, to getting it all done, you’ll find out how the art of communication can elevate technology.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Business, Writing, Technology, Professional Development, Psychology

130 pages, Paperback

Published March 6, 2018

Reviews

[Richard]

The first text I've read which lays out a framework (and principles) for thinking about conversational interfaces. Super helpful, and will be pondering the Minimum Meaningful Conversation.

[Julia Kulgavchuk]

The main idea of this text is that conversation is the original interface, that "Conversation offers a powerful way to take a truly human-centered approach to designing." There's a set of general qualities of a good conversation: right quantity, truthfulness, relevance, brevity, order, unambiguity, politeness. These qualities are then translated into the properties of designed conversational interactions with systems. These interactions should be cooperative, goal-oriented, context-aware, quick and clear, turn-based, truthful, polite, error-tolerant.

There's a Minimum Viable Conversation Worksheet that seems quite useful.

I much appreciate the advice to read poetry in order to improve the quality of your interface copy.

[Ani King]

As a design lay person, I often find much of the discussion and reading to be difficult to enter, but Erika Hall has presented an accessible dialogue-worthy case for examining conversation design as a philosophy, and a practical approach. Beginning with some grounding history around oral and written language, the concepts build on each other through out, and the information is translatable to many mediums, be they interactive interfaces, or even flat paper.

I highly recommend this for anyone who is involved in conversational design work, but also those are simply curious.

[Mike Hales]

Short, snappy and packed with great points and take always. Totally worth the $ and time.

[Claire Hansford]

This book addresses every academic and professional thought and feeling I have had for almost 20 years. I want to print out hundreds of copies and role around in it.

[Candi]

This book was not what I expected to be but way better than I imagined. I thought this would be more geared towards bots and other AI. Nope. It's about the language you use across different sites and platforms to interact with users. It's about having a conversation with another human vs your user trying to talk to a computer or robot. It's about being mindful of the words you use to create a better experience for the user and know when to properly use things like humor. It also has some great tips on more cross department collaboration so everyone in the process understands the language, not just one department. Highly recommend to anyone who even has the smallest influence of what a button says.

[Bram]

If you've got design training, no concepts in here will be new, but its look at UX and trends in web design today will get you thinking.

[madhu nathani]

my issue with the amount of fluff in books like this persists…although that might be more of a problem with me than the book

[Sarah Lashinsky]

Erika Hall is, plain and simple, the 🐐. She makes me laugh while I’m learning, challenges my assumptions about my role as a designer, and reminds me that the things that make a good contributor are really just the things you need to know to be a good human.

Some nuggets I highlighted in my copy:
(which, removed from context are only a fraction as valuable, so please please please pick up a copy of your own)
* “Interactive truth demands a strong correlation between what the user expects and what the system offers.”
* “Systems will need to provide at least the illusion that the human is still in control.”
* “The experience of speed is entirely subjective.” -> if you can’t make it work In a timely manner, do something different.
* Robin Lakoff’s 1973 paper “The Logic of Politeness” ~ “Don’t impose, Give options, Make the listener feel good”
* “You can tell which products are made by organizations who talk about people, and those who talk about ‘eyeballs’ and ‘uniques’.”
* “Read some poetry. Aloud. With your team. Poetry is the best source of deliberate intentional language that has nothing to do with your actual work. Reading it will descale your mind, like vinegar in a coffee maker.” ✨

[Fabricio Canavero]

Una introducción general y aplicada al oficio del diseño conversacional. Me pareció demasiado reiterativa con muchos conceptos y pautas, por lo que pienso que pudo haber sido menos páginas y quedar un manual más concetro y conciso. Porque al fin y al cabo este libro cumple ese rol, un manual en formato e-book para tener a mano en el desktop.
En términos cualitativos, vale la pena darle una lectura si buscás introducirte en el UX writing. Antes de llegar a la página 90, podríamos considerar que ya entendiste de qué trata este oficio, y también que podrías relajarte un poco pues, al menos para Erika Hall, la IA no va a quitarnos el trabajo, sino por el contrario, su avance contribuye a mejorarnos como seres humanos.
No comparto del todo ese pensamiento. Incluso si en el futuro los humanos podremos controlar las máquinas con la mente y obtener información con telepatía, al menos a mí me gustaría divertirme un poco haciendo alguna que otra maldad...

[Natalía Papadopoúlou]

“Conversation is the oldest interface”, and we still haven’t understood how that works but we are already called to translate that to digital products. This book explores all aspects of designing conversational products and I especially the informational structure of this book and the examples. It’s not only about voice interfaces or bots but all products that need to create a relationship with people, simply all products that is. Why 4 stars? I wish the process was described in a more clear manner perhaps with one single case study.

[Catherine]

Erika Hall offers an accessible introduction to the principles that inform human-to-human interactions and the way these principles can be applied to the most critical moments in which people and technological systems meet. I appreciated her emphasis on the role of content (and strategy) in conveying the humanity behind a product, and the importance of a safe and collaborative workplace in setting a positive tone for the products a team creates.

[Nick]

Originally, I started reading this book to learn about how to write for digital assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. This book is much more than that. Erika Hall talks about how important conversation is to our interactions regardless of modality. She offers principles of conversational design, practical examples, talks about the importance of selecting and presenting personality, and finally tips on how to implement these tools in organizations.

[Anna Saraceno]

This book felt like giving a breath of fresh air to the standard heuristics we often refer to in UX/product design. Erika Hall provides principles of conversational design to not only apply to the design process, but also to your organization as a whole. In an industry so focused on agile/lean delivery and cranking out tiny bits of work in regular intervals, the perspective in this book was so refreshing.

[Jessica Lim]

Great read on the process of conversational design as it applies to both products and the design process itself. Highly recommend this book for those entering the field of design as well as seasoned professionals.

[Pais]

Excellent book--I'll be putting a lot of these principles to work in my job. Definitely more conceptual than technical, but I think that works well since there are so many different conversational design platforms out there.

[Steve]

It is really hard to make a UI feel like a human talking to another human -- which is what every app essentially does! This book does a great job of showing the how to communicate to the user in the user's own language! Love!

[Shivam Ramani]

I did not like the book. I was hoping I can get something from it to understand how to become better at writing for websites and app. But this book took me to the history of writing which is totally irrelevant to me.

[Vuk Trifkovic]

Found it hard to get into - lot of stuff was kind of generic and vague. It comes highly recommended, so it was perhaps just me...

[Jane]

Contains both theory and practical examples, and some helpful-looking forms and examples.

[Emily Swelgin]

Helpful perspective on the importance of language in design. Even laughed out loud a time or two.

[Micah Grossman]

Short and succinct, with clear insights and examples. I'd recommend this widely.

[Aleksey Polukeyev]

Enjoyed it! The book flows nicely and gets at the heart of what the discipline is about.

[Chloe]

Quick read, lots of good takeaways and excellent examples. Want to further explore incorporating the concept of Minimum Meaningful Conversations into my everyday work.

[Greta Fedaraviciute]

A reminder that we need to make texts in digital products more human-like, but not many practical takeaways for those who are already familiar with the subject.

[Vanessa arango]

A very interesting and accesible book to understand and apply de conversational design process and principles. I highly recommend it to designers, product managers and research profesionals.

[Iamreddave]

Clear short book on how to design software products (particularly chatbots)

[John]

A short and lively examination of how to approach building interfaces that a human being will find friendly and useful rather than frustrating and intimidating

[Bibi Mariano]

Erika gets design. Period.

Yet another successful book
Short and to the point

[Yasmin]

Ok writing, just not interesting. Wished she wrote more abt the topic n less quotes pulled out from Twitter lol