Question

My app has a bunch of dialogs where a caller is asked to pick and choose from a list:

"Which would you like? Account Information, Account Changes, Request Documents, Speak to a Representative."

In pseudocode, here s how it would appear:

<prompt>
 Which would you like?  Account Information, Account Changes, Request Documents, Speak to a Representative.
</prompt>
<grammar>
 "Account Information": goto Account Info logic
 "Account Changes": goto Account Change logic
 "Request Documents": goto Documents logic
 "Representative": goto Call Transfer logic
</grammar>

Now, this grammar does not account for situations where a caller says "That one!" right after hearing one of the options. That would be considered out of grammar, and an error case. I can get around this by breaking the dialog up into four prompts, and having redundant grammars in each:

 <prompt>
    Which would you like?
</prompt>
<prompt>
    Account Information
</prompt>
<grammar>
    "That one": goto Account Info logic
    "Account Information": goto Account Info logic
    "Account Changes": goto Account Change logic
    "Request Documents": goto Documents logic
    "Representative": goto Call Transfer logic
</grammar>
<prompt>
    Account Changes
</prompt>
<grammar>
    "That one": goto Account Change logic
    "Account Information": goto Account Info logic
    "Account Changes": goto Account Change logic
    "Request Documents": goto Documents logic
    "Representative": goto Call Transfer logic
</grammar> 
<prompt>
    Request Documents
</prompt>
<grammar>
    "That one": goto Documents logic
    "Account Information": goto Account Info logic
    "Account Changes": goto Account Change logic
    "Request Documents": goto Documents logic
    "Representative": goto Call Transfer logic
</grammar>
<prompt>
    "Request Documents": goto Documents logicSpeak to a Representative.
</prompt>
<grammar>
    "That one": goto Call Transfer logic
    "Account Information": goto Account Info logic
    "Account Changes": goto Account Change logic
    "Request Documents": goto Documents logic
    "Representative": goto Call Transfer logic
 </grammar>

But is this the "right" way of doing this? Is there a way to do this with a single dialog?

Thanks,
IVR Avenger

Answer 1

It is the best way for most platforms. If you re using a VoiceXML 2.1 platform that supports mark, you can use it to determine which item was playing when the user spoke.

If platform portability is a goal, I would recommend the multi-field solution.

On the usability side, I would use direct identification of a list choice to be a final fallback. It is tedious to use and timing errors tend to occur. To minimize the latter, make sure there is sufficient and choice gap so that a slow user will select the correct entry. A platform delay of just a 1/4 second in transitioning prompts can impact the experience.

Answer 2

If you want the caller to say "that one", you need to include this directive in your prompt. Otherwise, they won t say it.

"When you heard the option you want, say: that one.... Account Information.... Account Changes.... Request Documents... Speak to a Representative".

You would need to use long pauses between options in order to give the opportunity for the caller to interact. You can use the element along with field grammars in order to implement it.

However, the caller will want to hear all the options before choosing. So, this strategy is not the right one. Instead, I would simply recommend to allow barge-in in your prompt and not to use the "that one" option. This would be much more conventional, simple and efficient.

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