Project Highlights

Early adoption of LLM / AI technology

I led this project since inception by adopting early to the LLM and AI technologies. I also learned more about the AI technology through internal courses to unpack its full potential for Alexa+.

Conversational AI patterns

I collaborated closely with the design systems team to establish communication patterns for email and text. These patterns include preview messages, contact disambiguation, contextual setup, and more.

Executive leadership alignment

I led my design team to create a vision for the Alexa+ communication feature. This vision was shared with executive leadership and received appreciation and alignment.

Customer problem

Communication is a challenging space due to the volume of information across multiple channels, such as text and email. These communications may relate to personal, professional, school, events, and other contexts.
Customers often spend time finding the right contact and message content.
In a survey, customers expect Alexa to handle this communication, which will ease their time.

Design Process & Strategy

Define CX Vision

Draft and send text and email - I led a team of Senior UX Designers to create a vision for how customers draft and send text messages using Alexa. This vision also includes contextual setup experiences.
Executive leadership alignment - I presented the CX vision to the SVP, VP, and Directors, and received appreciation and alignment to proceed with the project.

Conversational AI Patterns

Conversation GUI Patterns - Communication experience involves multiple touchpoints such as selecting the contact, drafting a message, previewing, editing, and sending. We defined these patterns for multiple Echo device form factors, including Echo Show, Echo Dot, web, and Fire TV.
In the moment setup - These communication experiences involve complex setup flows for both email and text messages. We created a simplified setup process to help customers easily onboard to the feature.

Test, Iterate and Refine

Early Access Feedback - I worked with the research team to identify usability issues in the communication and setup processes and iterated the design to address these gaps.

Solution Overview

Draft and Send - Messages & Email

The goal of this vision is to help customers send texts and emails hands-free. Alexa can assist by selecting the right contact, drafting the message based on the request, making any necessary changes, and sending the message—all without lifting the phone.
Alexa reads the message aloud before sending, allowing customers to make any changes.
Alexa only sends the message if the customer's voice is recognized.

Conversational AI patterns

Conversational AI Patterns

Preview message – The preview card helps the customer review the context before sending. It also displays the contact phone number or email for visual confirmation.
Contact disambiguation – Sometimes contact names are similar, so Alexa displays contact cards for confirmation (e.g., Bob Smith or Bob Wang).
Guided Setup – Customers need to pair their phone with the Echo device to send text messages. I defined the end-to-end setup flow to make it easy for customers. This setup process is designed for both the Echo device and the Alexa mobile app.

Launch & Impact

Alexa+ AI Communication Launch

Positive Feedback - Positive feedback from executive leadership from inception through launch.
Demo in Alexa+ event - Communication Assistant is one of the key features demoed at the Alexa+ press event in New York.
80% positive response - 80% positive sentiment in customer satisfaction scores for the text and email feature from beta customers.