How do users know what to say?
Abstract
As speech recognition technology improves, many software
designers are being challenged to design speech user inter
faces. For me, one of the most challenging issues is “How do users
know what they can say?”
If you think about it, a speech-only interface
poses the same problems as a command-line interface. The functionality of applications is hidden, and the boundaries of what can and cannot be done are invisible. Graphical interfaces were invented largely to make hidden functionality visible to the user. In a speech-only environment, such as over a telephone, it is not possible to display menus, show
options, or highlight buttons. Instead, other techniques must be used to guide users through a successful interaction.