Engaging with Voice
and the
Google Assistant

DevFest DFW

16 Feb 2019

Audio and Photo Credit:  CBS Studios

Allen Firstenberg

Software developer / Consultant

Google Developer Expert for Assistant, IoT, Wearables, Identity

http://spiders.com/

http://prisoner.com/

http://prisoner.com/ubi/

Tell me about you

• GUI designer?
• Mobile or web?
• Alexa or Assistant?

• Kirk? Picard? Sisko? Janeway? Archer?

What are we talking about?

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios / Paramount

What is the Google Assistant?

A conversation

between you and Google that helps you get things done

in your world.

What are Actions on Google?

Actions on Google is the API

that lets you engage in conversations

with other services

through the Google Assistant.

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios

Focus on Design

https://actions.google.com/design/

Conversation Design

You're doing it wrong

• Figure out what you want your code to do.
• Decide how you're going to present those results.
• "Build a screen" to get inputs.

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios

Conversation Design

Personality

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios

Conversation Design

Scripting

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios

• Keep in mind how people talk - not how they write.
• Don't make "audible buttons".
• Users may not respond for many reasons.
• There are no errors.
• Users have intent - help them get there.

Errors and Intent

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios / @NerdlySpecific

Context

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios / Paramount

Testing?

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios

Simple Conversation

• User: Talk to Color Magic
• Action: Welcome to Color Magic, what's your favorite color?

• User: Green
• Action: Your magic number is 5. Goodbye.

Simple Conversation

Deep Linking

• User: Ask Color Magic about green
• Action: Your magic number is 5. Goodbye.

Simple Conversation

"Happy Path"

• User: Talk to Color Magic
• Action: Hi there, to get to know your better, I'll just need to get your name from Google. Is that ok?
• User: Yes
• Action: Hi <name>. What is your favorite color?
• User: Blue
• Action: Your magic number is four. Would you like to hear some fake colors?
• User: Yes
• Action: Which color: Pink unicorn, indigo taco, or blue grey coffee?
• User: indigo taco
• Action: Here is what indigo taco looks like. <display color>

Simple Conversation

"Unhappy Path"

• User: Talk to Color Magic
• Action: Hi there, to get to know your better, I'll just need to get your name from Google. Is that ok?
• User: Yes
• Action: Hi <name>. What is your favorite color?
• User: Blue
• Action: Your magic number is four. Would you like to hear some fake colors?
• User: Yes
• Action: Which color do you want to see: Pink unicorn, indigo taco, or blue grey coffee?
• User: indigo taco
• Action: Here is what indigo taco looks like. <display color>

Making it Happen

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios

Photo Credit:  CBS Studios / Paramount