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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 [email protected]
Bill MeiselPresident, TMA Associates
Editor, Speech Strategy [email protected]
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 [email protected] (818)708-0962
Bill Meisel, TMA Associates [email protected] (818)708-0962
