I was the Conversation Design Lead for the First Alexa Multimodal Conversation, a launch feature for the Echo Show 5 device. This conversation was the first interaction a new user had with Alexa after powering up the device for the first time: Alexa started a conversation to introduce concepts such as wake word, voice turn taking mechanics and cues, and showcase features of Alexa multimodal devices.

Working closely with product, engineering, and a visual UX designer, I designed an interaction to include simplified visuals to make the interaction feel short, sweet, and glanceable, still recognizable as the core Echo Show experience, but without any requirement to memorize or interact by more than voice.

I delivered the detailed interaction design – voice, voice/screen sync, and all error and recovery flows for voice and touch. I also developed an error logic interaction framework incorporating voice and touch, the first of its kind in Alexa.

My design centered around offering a user features that delivered the unique value add of the screen’s visual and touch affordances to the Alexa voice experience. I also partnered with the visual designer to conceive transitional screens and on-screen text to set expectations and move the user from one feature to the next.

Using an evidence-based approach, I analyzed the interactions from the previous First Conversation for screenless devices to understand the difficulties first time Alexa users have. I looked at thousands of first-time interactions to identify core issues with learning to use Alexa in general as well as the conversation itself, including its duration, and the features included. I also evaluated the existing Echo Show interaction design to identify the visual and touch UX and affordances that might dovetail with or challenge the voice interaction.