Designing Effective Speech Interfaces

by Susan Weinschenk; Dean T. Barker

• ISBN13: 9780471375456
• ISBN10: 0471375454
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-03-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Master the critical knowledge you need to design speech-enabled applications It's not just a far-fetched gizmo straight out of a sci-fi movie anymore. Speech interface technology, which allows a user to communicate with computers via voice instead of a keyboard or a mouse, is quickly becoming a main feature in new software. This straightforward guide provides traditional graphical user-interface designers, developers, usability engineers, and product managers with all the information they need to make a rapid transition in order to stay abreast of this monumental shift in technology. Weinschenk and Barker, two experts in state-of-the-art online communication, discuss the basics of speech interfaces and speech technology, hardware, and software. They clearly explain the interface design principles that are applied to S/GUI and AUI interfaces and describe the latest practices of leading experts. In addition to its in-depth look at speech technologies and the different types of user interfaces, this book: * Provides an overview of the field of human factors and defines the basic concepts of human computer interaction * Discusses the current state of speech technology applications * Explains the laws of human factors that apply to speech interfaces * Contains guidelines and examples for user control, human limitation, model integrity, accommodation, clear dialogue, and aesthetic integrity * Details the best practices in interface design and usability engineering * Explores the special issues involved in interface design for disabled persons Visit the companion web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks/weinschenk/ for a categorized resource list of speech, speech interface, and human-computer interaction books, articles, and links.

Author Biography

SUSAN WEINSCHENK, PhD is Principal of Weinschenk Consulting Group which specializes in user interface design, Web design, and usability testing. She is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group in Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIG CHI) and the Usability Professional&#146;s Association (UPA). She is also the author of GUI Design Essentials (also from Wiley).<BR>

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(5)
Part One - Introduction to Speech Interfaces	5	(90)
Basic Concepts	7	(12)
What Is an Interface?	8	(2)
What Are the Types of Interfaces?	10	(1)
What Is a Speech Interface?	10	(2)
Book Focus	12	(1)
Intended Audience	13	(1)
Book Summary	14	(5)
Human Factors in Speech Technology	19	(26)
A Brief History	20	(3)
Human Factors in Speech	23	(4)
The Cost/Benefit of Human Factors	27	(4)
Cost-Benefit Calculations	31	(2)
Interview with John Karat	33	(10)
Summary	43	(2)
The Nature of Sound	45	(10)
Measurement of Sound	46	(4)
Other Properties of Sound	50	(2)
How Humans Hear Sound	52	(2)
Summary	54	(1)
The Nature of Language	55	(40)
The Verbal Communication Process	57	(6)
The Structure of Language	63	(31)
Summary	94	(1)
Part Two - Speech Technology	95	(86)
Speech Technologies	97	(30)
Speech Recognition	98	(5)
Speech Synthesis	103	(6)
Natural Language	109	(6)
Interview with Candace Kamm	115	(10)
Summary	125	(2)
Computer Software	127	(18)
Speech Recognition Suites	128	(7)
Development Tools	135	(6)
A Comparison of Speech Recognition Suites	141	(2)
Summary	143	(2)
Hardware	145	(18)
Computer Hardware	146	(14)
Information Devices	160	(2)
Summary	162	(1)
Application of Speech Technology	163	(18)
Interactive Voice Response	164	(1)
Medical	165	(1)
Legal	166	(1)
Business	166	(1)
Commercial/Warehouse	166	(1)
Interview with S. Ahmed Reza	167	(10)
Universal Access	177	(1)
Handheld Devices	178	(1)
Toys and Education	179	(1)
Automobile Applications	179	(1)
Summary	180	(1)
Part Three - Laws and Guidelines for Speech Interface Design	181	(86)
Laws of Interface Design	183	(42)
User Control	185	(2)
Human Limitations	187	(5)
Modal Integrity	192	(3)
Accommodation	195	(1)
Linguistic Clarity	196	(2)
Aesthetic Integrity	198	(2)
Simplicity	200	(1)
Predictability	200	(2)
Interpretation	202	(1)
Accuracy	203	(1)
Technical Clarity	203	(1)
Flexibility	204	(1)
Fulfillment	205	(1)
Cultural Propriety	206	(2)
Suitable Tempo	208	(1)
Consistency	208	(1)
User Support	209	(1)
Precision	210	(1)
Forgiveness	211	(2)
Responsiveness	213	(2)
Interview with Kate Dobroth	215	(8)
Summary	223	(2)
Speech Guidelines	225	(42)
Errors	227	(3)
Feedback	230	(3)
Confirmations	233	(1)
User Expectations	234	(2)
Keypads and Motor Actions	236	(2)
Social and Environmental Issues	238	(1)
Command-and-Control	239	(2)
Continuous Speech Recognition	241	(1)
Conversation and Prompting	242	(7)
Menus	249	(3)
Non-Speech Audio/Auditory Icons	252	(1)
Interview with Sharon Oviatt	253	(12)
Summary	265	(2)
Part Four - Best Practices	267	(68)
Usability Processes and Techniques	269	(56)
Process Description	270	(1)
Investigation	271	(4)
Analysis	275	(16)
Conceptual Model Design	291	(10)
Detail Design	301	(11)
Implementation and Evaluation	312	(2)
Interview with Nicole Yankelovich	314	(10)
Summary	324	(1)
Universal Design	325	(10)
The Audience for Universal Design	326	(2)
Speech Technology and Universal Design	328	(2)
Accomplishing Universal Design	330	(2)
Justification for Universal Design	332	(2)
Summary	334	(1)
Chapter A - A History of Relevant Technology for Speech	335	(18)
Chapter B - Glossary	353	(10)
Chapter C - Resources	363	(16)
Speech Research	363	(3)
Guidelines	366	(1)
Speech and Sound Technology	367	(1)
Speech Vendors	368	(1)
Natural Language	369	(1)
Language	370	(1)
Usability Engineering/Interface Design	371	(4)
Usability Testing	375	(1)
Human-Computer Interaction	375	(2)
Analysis for Interface Design	377	(1)
Universal Access	377	(2)
Chapter D - Bibliography	379	(8)
Index	387