AI Interface Strategy: Enterprise Chatbots
I served as UX Conversational Strategy consultant for IBM Garage, advising a Fortune 500 client on chatbot development best practices during the emerging era of conversational interfaces (2019). The engagement focused on establishing frameworks for evaluating chatbot health, defining voice and tone guidelines, and optimizing conversation flows.
Client
IBM
My role
Senior UX Consultant focusing on: Developing chatbot health assessment frameworks Creating voice and tone guidelines Advising on personality development in AI interfaces Providing conversation flow optimization strategies Teaching best practices to client teams
Key Challenges Overcome:
Redundant user interactions requiring multiple confirmations
Lack of natural conversation capabilities
Limited ability to handle user frustration
Inefficient entity extraction
Impact
Established foundational frameworks for evaluating chatbot effectiveness that align with today's AI best practices
Created scalable voice and tone guidelines that helped teams maintain consistent user experiences
Reduced unnecessary escalations through improved conversation flows and emotional intelligence implementation
Empowered client teams with actionable strategies for ongoing chatbot optimization
Introduced concepts like tone analysis and personality design that have become crucial in modern AI development
Key Takeaways
Early Recognition of AI Personality Importance
Identified the need for consistent AI personality and tone - now a cornerstone of AI interface design
Emphasized emotional intelligence in AI interactions, predating current focus on AI empathy
Human-Centered Approach to Technical Solutions
Introduced "small talk" capabilities that are standard in today's AI assistants
Focused on reducing user frustration through tone analysis - now a key feature in modern AI
Scalable Framework Development
Created assessment tools that teams could use independently
Developed guidelines that evolved with advancing technology