Designers love to talk design. Often people focus on their favourite tools, processes, hacks and gripes. It all matters. The technical aspects are just as important as well. We’re designing conversations with technology – we need to get intimate with the benefits and limitations of machines so that we can succeed.
What about the social/collaborative side of the job though? We all know that’s a huge part of the job, but so few people seem to be talking about it.
That’s why Millani Jayasingkam is such a great person to talk to. She’s a senior conversation designer who knows the power of a good community. She hosts the Voice This! Podcast and runs events focused on conversational AI.
Why does being part of a community matter to your work? What has Millani done to build communities? How did it help?
In this episode
Contents:
00:00 Intro
11:43 What’s Millani’s favourite bot?
13:29 What conversational AI jargon do you struggle with?
19:00 Which synthetic experience would you most like to have?
21:39 With interviews we need to break the ice
23:39 Finding the right time to ask a question
26:01 People know the result, not what you’d imagined
27:12 On Voice Tech Global (formerly Voice Tech Toronto)
30:15 We’re part of communities that evolve
33:52 We need communities to learn from
37:35 Tech and design isn’t enough, we need communication
42:56 We all contribute to the community
46:04 The tables are turned – Millani asks Ben
49:12 The Conversation Designer’s Links board on Notion
52:33 People respond well to genuine curiosity
54:20 How does Ben keep up to date?
56:10 How does Millani keep up to date?
57:10 Conversation designers need to keep talking
59:42 An observer to a recorded conversation also participates
01:01:02 Outro
