Chatbots: Driving the conversation (UX) is more important than guessing it (AI)

Most of people simply don’t know how to communicate with a chatbot or what questions to ask. The principles of deciding how your platform acts when your users manipulate it (user experience, or UX) are sometimes overlooked when people engineer robots, focusing more on features, and on AI (Artificial Intelligence).

When facing a chatbot, this oversight can leave the user feeling frustrated. As we build chatbots, we’ve gleaned some UX best practices that we’re sharing with you. Our experience supports the idea that when it comes to showing your users the way, suggesting is far more natural than guessing.

Your chatbot has a purpose: let that drive your users in the right direction. Also, you are not SIRI or ALEXA.

Remember that your chatbot isn’t here to answer all the questions people may have in mind, leave that to SIRI or ALEXA. Your chatbot is here for a specific reason, a reason people can’t guess unless you tell them or show them: this is why you need to focus on driving the conversation with buttons and quick replies.

1 — Your “Welcome Message” is your first date. Never leave it without a move. So be sure to make a suggestion in your first message.