Turbulent change drives Communications and the Voice User Interface Bill Meisel President, TMA...

Turbulent change drives Communications and the

Voice User Interface

Turbulent change drives Communications and the

Voice User Interface

Bill MeiselPresident, TMA Associates

Editor, Speech Strategy Newswmeisel@tmaa.com

Bill MeiselPresident, TMA Associates

Editor, Speech Strategy Newswmeisel@tmaa.com

Classical speech market segments

Classical speech market segments

Telephony / Server Enterprise

Workforce (field service, unified communications)

Customers (contact centers) Services

PC / Desktop Consumer (e.g., accessibility) Specialized (e.g., healthcare)

Embedded / Mobile Consumer electronics (e.g., wireless

phones, automobile, games) Industrial (e.g., warehouses)

Telephony / Server Enterprise

Workforce (field service, unified communications)

Customers (contact centers) Services

PC / Desktop Consumer (e.g., accessibility) Specialized (e.g., healthcare)

Embedded / Mobile Consumer electronics (e.g., wireless

phones, automobile, games) Industrial (e.g., warehouses)

A different viewA different view

Classical view driven by technology differences and limitations

The new drivers -- Utility and convergence

Classical view driven by technology differences and limitations

The new drivers -- Utility and convergence

Trends impacting the use of speech technology

Trends impacting the use of speech technology

Wireless phones Mobility services (including voice search) Ad-supported telephone services Call centers become true customer service centers Unified Communications VoIP PCs with telephone service and easily available

speech recognition Speech and text become more interchangeable Technology evolution Technology validation

Wireless phones Mobility services (including voice search) Ad-supported telephone services Call centers become true customer service centers Unified Communications VoIP PCs with telephone service and easily available

speech recognition Speech and text become more interchangeable Technology evolution Technology validation

Wireless phonesWireless phones

Multi-functional Portable, connected PCs + cameras +

music players + …? Less specialized

Better support for Web browsing and applications A “micro-PC”?

Multi-functional Portable, connected PCs + cameras +

music players + …? Less specialized

Better support for Web browsing and applications A “micro-PC”?

The user interface on wireless phones

The user interface on wireless phones

Current menu- and button-oriented user interface layers on features in a hierarchical model Not unlike touch-tone menus The iPhone Text-input a limitation

Speech a natural interface on a small, portable device Required for automobile use? Flattening control and information access Text input by speech

Current menu- and button-oriented user interface layers on features in a hierarchical model Not unlike touch-tone menus The iPhone Text-input a limitation

Speech a natural interface on a small, portable device Required for automobile use? Flattening control and information access Text input by speech

Mobility applicationsMobility applications

Voice dialing and other communications features

Location-based services Voice search Ultimately, an indispensable

“personal assistant” The power of dialog

Voice dialing and other communications features

Location-based services Voice search Ultimately, an indispensable

“personal assistant” The power of dialog

Voice searchVoice search

Easier and less-expensive telephone access to information and services, including customer service “Speak-through” voice ads

Easier search of the Web for audio/video

Easier and less-expensive telephone access to information and services, including customer service “Speak-through” voice ads

Easier search of the Web for audio/video

The customer as king - Contact centers change

focus

The customer as king - Contact centers change

focus Serve customers while containing costs

New volume from voice search and speak-thru ads Speech technology can help

More complex applications-- Attempt to avoid frustrating customers Move away from touch-tone call flow model More marketing calls Multimodal solutions Business-process driven?

Burden on application design (time, cost, and delivery)

Serve customers while containing costs New volume from voice search and speak-thru ads Speech technology can help

More complex applications-- Attempt to avoid frustrating customers Move away from touch-tone call flow model More marketing calls Multimodal solutions Business-process driven?

Burden on application design (time, cost, and delivery)

Integrating customer contact points

Integrating customer contact points

Customers want Web applications and telephone applications to use similar resources and be more easily managed together rather than as silos

Speech applications driven by databases and web services

Integrated analytics

Customers want Web applications and telephone applications to use similar resources and be more easily managed together rather than as silos

Speech applications driven by databases and web services

Integrated analytics

Business intelligence from speech communications

Business intelligence from speech communications

Speech analytics in call centers Integration with Web and email

analytics

Speech analytics in call centers Integration with Web and email

analytics

Unified CommunicationsUnified Communications

Unifying communication modes Unifying the infrastructure for

internal and external communications (including contact center)

A speech interface can help deal with the complexity of options

Unifying communication modes Unifying the infrastructure for

internal and external communications (including contact center)

A speech interface can help deal with the complexity of options

Too much communications?

Too much communications?

Problem is not getting in touch, but being touched too much Too available? Communications clutter

Multiple channels to manage Spam in all communications channels

Unified communications --> Unified communications management

Speech-enabled communications assistant Auto-replies, sorting of messages, conversion of

message types

Problem is not getting in touch, but being touched too much Too available? Communications clutter

Multiple channels to manage Spam in all communications channels

Unified communications --> Unified communications management

Speech-enabled communications assistant Auto-replies, sorting of messages, conversion of

message types

IP TelephonyIP Telephony

Enterprises: A more flexible application platform

PCs (and wireless phones?)--VoIP telephony

Web--Click to call Need for automation

And IP telephony makes it easier to automate

Enterprises: A more flexible application platform

PCs (and wireless phones?)--VoIP telephony

Web--Click to call Need for automation

And IP telephony makes it easier to automate

Speech technology easily available on PCs

Speech technology easily available on PCs

Delivered with Microsoft Vista Dictation for rough drafts -- idea

capture VoIP telephony-- the PC as telephone

Services in the network-- no per-minute charges

Familiarity with the Voice User Interface on telephones may make it more popular on PCs

Delivered with Microsoft Vista Dictation for rough drafts -- idea

capture VoIP telephony-- the PC as telephone

Services in the network-- no per-minute charges

Familiarity with the Voice User Interface on telephones may make it more popular on PCs

Speech and text become more interchangeable

Speech and text become more interchangeable

Voicemail to text Searchable voice files

Voicemail to text Searchable voice files

PCsPCs

Well-established GUI Incremental innovation

Potential for speech recognition Microphone a more common

peripheral The “noisy office” argument

Well-established GUI Incremental innovation

Potential for speech recognition Microphone a more common

peripheral The “noisy office” argument

Speech technology boundaries get fuzzySpeech technology

boundaries get fuzzy More use of Statistical Language Models

Sometimes integrated with directed dialog and specific grammars

Backed up by hidden agents in some cases

Mobile devices get more computing power and connectivity Software in device can negotiate with

network-based speech technology

More use of Statistical Language Models Sometimes integrated with directed dialog

and specific grammars Backed up by hidden agents in some

cases Mobile devices get more computing

power and connectivity Software in device can negotiate with

network-based speech technology

Growing importance of large-list recognition

Growing importance of large-list recognition

Directory assistance, song lists, voice search

Often one-step process rather than dialog

Directory assistance, song lists, voice search

Often one-step process rather than dialog

Empirical techniques in VUI design and deliveryEmpirical techniques in VUI design and delivery

Statistical Language Models followed by natural language processing provide more dialog flexibility

Directed dialogs can be enhanced by empirical techniques

Statistical Language Models followed by natural language processing provide more dialog flexibility

Directed dialogs can be enhanced by empirical techniques

Standards becoming standard

Standards becoming standard

Success of VoiceXML and related standards

Watch State Chart XML (SCXML) Managing dialogs and multimodal

solutions Increased flexibility in dialog flow

Parallel operations Continuity between sessions

Success of VoiceXML and related standards

Watch State Chart XML (SCXML) Managing dialogs and multimodal

solutions Increased flexibility in dialog flow

Parallel operations Continuity between sessions

Validation: Less need for an evangelical sale

Validation: Less need for an evangelical sale

Vertical markets Healthcare Manufacturing

Larger companies incorporate speech technology Microsoft in Office Communications Server and

Vista Google tests Google Voice Local Search Telephone service providers roll out speech-

enabled services

Vertical markets Healthcare Manufacturing

Larger companies incorporate speech technology Microsoft in Office Communications Server and

Vista Google tests Google Voice Local Search Telephone service providers roll out speech-

enabled services

A unifying Voice User Interface?

A unifying Voice User Interface?

Can be mostly the same on multiple devices

Doesn’t obviate multimodality Deliver results as text

SCXML & VoiceXML 3.0 as unifying standards?

Can be mostly the same on multiple devices

Doesn’t obviate multimodality Deliver results as text

SCXML & VoiceXML 3.0 as unifying standards?

Message differs by constituency

Message differs by constituency

Contact centers Service providers (including independents) “Web” companies Platform providers Application developers Voice hosting companies Entrepreneurs and investors Content providers Ad agencies and marketing departments

Contact centers Service providers (including independents) “Web” companies Platform providers Application developers Voice hosting companies Entrepreneurs and investors Content providers Ad agencies and marketing departments

The future isn’t here yetThe future isn’t here yet

But it keeps getting closer every day

But it keeps getting closer every day

Uncertainty confuses markets

Uncertainty confuses markets

Too much change --> Wait and see the FUD factor-- Fear, Uncertainty,

and Doubt

Too much change --> Wait and see the FUD factor-- Fear, Uncertainty,

and Doubt

Keep it simple?Keep it simple?

Things don’t change as fast as technology companies would like (or pundits predict)

Doing what we’re doing now with improvements Improve core technology steadily Hosted telephone services solve some FUD and

application development problems Implement standard improvements Make the user experience a paramount consideration Don’t wait for clarity

Uncertainty is the human condition Not doing something IS a decision

Things don’t change as fast as technology companies would like (or pundits predict)

Doing what we’re doing now with improvements Improve core technology steadily Hosted telephone services solve some FUD and

application development problems Implement standard improvements Make the user experience a paramount consideration Don’t wait for clarity

Uncertainty is the human condition Not doing something IS a decision

Take a chance?Take a chance?

Making the future Speech as a Service “Voice search” Marketing and entertainment over the

telephone Communications management Portable personal aide Voice tone (Dialtone 2.0)

Making the future Speech as a Service “Voice search” Marketing and entertainment over the

telephone Communications management Portable personal aide Voice tone (Dialtone 2.0)

Contact infoContact info

Bill Meisel, TMA Associates wmeisel@tmaa.com (818)708-0962

Bill Meisel, TMA Associates wmeisel@tmaa.com (818)708-0962