Conversation Design for AI Assistants: Best Practices

Great AI isn't just about technology. It's about conversation design.

Conversation Design Principles

1. Be Goal-Oriented

Every conversation should progress toward a goal:

• Answer a question
• Complete a task
• Make a decision
• Connect to resource

2. Minimize User Effort

• Provide options, not open fields
• Anticipate next questions
• Remember context
• Reduce typing needed

3. Maintain Context

Don't make users repeat themselves. Track:

• Previous messages
• User preferences
• Past interactions
• Current state

4. Guide, Don't Dictate

Offer paths, but let users deviate:

"I can help with A, B, or C. What interests you? Or ask anything else!"

Conversation Patterns

The Greeting

Set expectations and invite engagement:

"Hi! I'm [Name], your [role]. I can help you with [topics]. What brings you here today?"

The Clarification

When unsure, ask don't guess:

"Just to make sure I help you correctly - are you asking about [A] or [B]?"

The Handoff

When AI can't help:

"This needs a human touch. I'm connecting you with our team. They'll be with you shortly."

The Close

End conversations well:

"Glad I could help! Anything else before you go?"

Common Mistakes

• Starting with "How can I help you?" (too generic)
• Long paragraphs (hard to read)
• No clear next step (leaves users stuck)
• Ignoring previous context (frustrating)
• Over-apologizing (annoying)

Great conversations don't happen by accident. They're designed.

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