Conversation Analysis and the User Experience

TL;DR

This paper explores how conversation analysis principles can inform the design of technologies like electronic guidebooks and adaptive social audio spaces to improve human conversational experiences.

Contribution

It demonstrates the application of conversation analysis to technology design through two case studies, highlighting innovative approaches to enhancing conversational user experiences.

Findings

Conversation analysis informed the design of an electronic guidebook.

The guidebook project inspired new ideas for adaptive social audio spaces.

Preliminary concepts for adaptive audio spaces are proposed.

Abstract

We provide two case studies in the application of ideas drawn from conversation analysis to the design of technologies that enhance the experience of human conversation. We first present a case study of the design of an electronic guidebook, focusing on how conversation analytic principles played a role in the design process. We then discuss how the guidebook project has inspired our continuing work in social, mobile audio spaces. In particular, we describe some as yet unrealized concepts for adaptive audio spaces.