Chatterbox: Conversational Interfaces for Microtask Crowdsourcing

Abstract

Conversational interfaces can facilitate human-computer interactions. Whether or not conversational interfaces can improve worker experience and work quality in crowdsourcing marketplaces has remained unanswered. We investigate the suitability of text-based conversational interfaces for microtask crowdsourcing. We designed a rigorous experimental campaign aimed at gauging the interest and acceptance by crowdworkers for this type of work interface. We compared Web and conversational interfaces for five common microtask types and measured the execution time, quality of work, and the perceived satisfaction of 316 workers recruited from the FigureEight platform. We show that conversational interfaces can be used effectively for crowdsourcing microtasks, resulting in a high satisfaction from workers, and without having a negative impact on task execution time or work quality.