"I don't know what you're talking about, HALexa": the case for voice user interface guidelines

Abstract

As Voice User Interfaces (VUI) grow in popularity in both the research and academic world, designers are met with new challenges in delivering on the promises of voice interaction. These promises depict a world where one can just speak to their devices, akin to HAL-9000; yet, existing usability challenges still leave many disappointed. These challenges often make or break the experience users have with VUIs. We argue that what we are missing is a foundation on which to build (and deliver) our promises: it is essential to build a foundation of VUI principles that can guide future designers in the development of voice interaction. We must address the lack of research in developing foundational VUI-specific guidelines that can aid designers in meeting the expectations and promises of true voice interaction.