Voice App

Voiceflow prototype

Research

positive feedback

We estimate that 128.0 million people in the US will use a voice assistant at least monthly in 2020, up 11.1% from 115.2 million in 2019. This represents 44.2% of internet users and 38.5% of the total population.
 

Mobile Users Are 3 Times More Likely to Use Voice Search

(Source: Adobe Analytics)
  • Voice-based searches using phones are also 3 times more likely to be specific to certain locations.
  • Users of smart speakers usually ask for music 70% of the time, about the weather 64% of the time, and fun questions 53%.
  • Online searches make up 47%, news comes in at 46%, and direct questions stand at 34%.
The survey also found that 31% use voice for smart home commands, 30% for ordering/shopping online (according to voice commerce statistics), 17% for take-out food orders, and 16% for flight and hotel research.
 

negative feedback

How often do you use voice assistants on your phone?
 

some reasons for not using voice assistant:

  • It is silly to say “Siri, call XX” in public
  • Recognition not accurate
  • not useful
 

Application

functions from their commercials
Alexa
  • Alarm, timer
  • time, weather, news
  • call and answer
  • play music
  • smart home
Google
  • schedule tasks
  • search
  • remember passwords
Cortana
  • set schedule
  • reminder
  • play music
Siri
  • voice search
  • call, message
Bixby
  • check schedule
  • book restaurant
  • penalized tasks: run time

Conclusion

Although the application of voice recognization and AI is not only voice assistant, the above research does provide a general picture of the most common functions. Compared with complex and important tasks those simple tasks are more likely to be handled by voice assistants. For some tasks, voice applications don’t have a salient advantage.
when we talk about the convenience of voice command, what is it exactly?
  • It may save steps (clicking buttons)
  • hands/eyes are busy
  • for the elders, children, disabled people
However, at least for me, framing my goal into a sentence also takes extra energy.
Therefore, I focus on the practical aspect and think about which kinds of application is truly helpful and necessary in some situations.
 

Ideas

  • make and accept voice calls and video calls (it is difficult for old people to use smartphones, the screen is small and the system is complex)
  • call center/ customer service of ?? (for now we often need to use the dial key and follow the voice orders to get the service we want)

Customer service for airlines

Thoughts

I remember that my mobile provider has intelligent customer service so that I can just say the service and don’t need to dial the number again and again. I think that is a good application but there are some space for improvement too. I felt confused when I heard the AI voice saying she is the smart voice guide. I didn’t know what to say at first but then I found she was smart indeed because she can recognize the common service.
 
I changed my flight by calling customer service few months ago because the website of the airline company was not available at that moment. The line was very busy and I have to call them at midnight otherwise I need to wait two hours.
Although booking flights online is the most common method there are people who need to manage their flights through customer service by phone such as people who don’t have an internet connection, people who don’t know how to use the online system, and people who can’t read...Human customer service solves the problem but it is common for the company does not have enough operators.

Services

  • Cancel flight
  • Change flight date
  • Check flight info (time, terminal, baggage, delay...)
  • Human customer service
For flight management, the customer needs to provide reservation number, name and birthday.
 

Persona and scenarios

John Smith wants to change his flight date but his phone can not connect to the internet.
 
 
Alexa