Small robots are designed to be helpful rather than scary, focusing on assisting users rather than technology. When designing conversational bots, it is important to consider perspectives from psychology, writing, and UX design. A good bot personality is one that feels trustworthy and understands human needs, without attempting to be fully human. Extensive testing is crucial to developing a natural conversational experience.

2. Markets are conversations.
Traderoutes pave the storylines.

3. Who am I?

4. What are Small Robots?
Small robots are the antithesis
of the ‘big scary’ robot of
popular culture.
Small robots are not about the
tech, but about the user.
Small robots help you get
things done.
Small robots are there when
you need help.

5. How many people here are psychologists?

6. How many people here are writers?

7. How many people here are UX designers?

8. Interacting with Bots

9. The basics
No Interface
Move away from screen based thinking
Context and interaction
‘Personality design’

10. What is a ‘Good bot’?
Do I like the bot?
Could the bot could become a companion for me?
Do I felt afraid of the bot?
Will the bot understand and remember my needs?
Do I perceive the bot as trustworthy?

11. What is a ‘Good bot’?
Embodiment
Co-experience
Feeling of Security
Human-Oriented Perception
Emotion

13. Bots - Ethics & Risks
Control of access
Deep knowledge of behaviours
‘Uncontrolled’ interaction

14. Be the psychologist

15. How to build a personality
Understand the context
Where are you talking to your customers?
In the pub? At work? In a hospital?
What is appropriate for the environment?
What style of language will feel comfortable? What words? Subjects?
Consider Psycholinguistics

16. How to build a personality
Understand your audience
Have you spoken to your customers? Have you recorded their words?
Do you know what mood they are in?
Can you tell when the mood changes?
What is their level of emotional intelligence?

17. How to build a personality
Understand your persona
What is their job or role?
What makes them good at it?
What makes them happy or sad?
How do they react to compliments or criticism?
What is their Myers-Briggs type?

18. KIP - Designing a personality

19. KIP - Designing a personality

21. Be the writer

22. How to build a story
Understand your characters
How do your customers like to interact?
What will build respect and trust?
Why would the user want to talk to you?
REMEMBER YOU ARE DESIGNING FOR TWO

23. How to build a story
Understand your plot
What is the ‘story’ in 20 words?
How to the ‘characters’ evolve?
What is a happy ending?
How can you tell when things are going wrong?

24. How to build a story
Understand your narrative
Does the script work as a conversation?
Are the parts believable?
How do they change when emotion is applied?
Do you have a good way to finish prematurely?

25. “If you don’t spend the time crafting that character and
motivation carefully, you run the risk of people projecting
motivations, personality traits, and other qualities onto your
App and brand that you may not want associated with them.”
Oren Jacob (Google I/O ’17)
Thanks to Jess Thoms - Prototypr

26. Be the UX designer

27. How to build an experience
Research and understand
What is the end to end experience?
Why will user be coming to you in the first place?
What do you know about each user?
What would be their alternative to the bot?

28. How to build an experience
Design the spider’s web
How does the narrative break down?
Where are the interactions? What are they?
Where is your wall of post-its?
Where can AI bring real value?

29. How to build an experience
Test Test Test test test test test test test test test

30. Designing a conversation
No longer just a UX process - personality, story and
ease
You need to be (have) a psychologist, a writer and a
ux’er
Create specific communication and interaction ToV
Do not try to be a person!
Kirobot - the first autonomous robot in space

31. Thanks
ben@smallrobotcompany.com
@smallrobotco
@bcsr