Evaluating Use Cases Suitability for Conversational User Interfaces

The developments in Natural Language Understanding (NLU) are enabling tasks that were typically performed interacting with humans to be now performed interacting with dialog systems, using the same natural language. Dialog systems can also be used in alternative to more traditional graphic user interface (GUI) applications. A review of the intrinsic differences and benefits of humans interacting with dialog systems in alternative to other humans or GUI applications is performed. It is also reviewed the types of use cases that are now being performed by chatbots. This paper aims to identify the factors that influence the selection of use cases suitable for conversational user interfaces, enabling organizations to make more informed decisions regarding chatbots implementations. The factors identified are grouped in three categories: (i) general factors, (ii) factors to be considered to implement a chatbot over a human operator; and (iii) factors that should be considered when implementing a chatbot over a traditional GUI application. Finally, an assessment to the scheduling a medical appointment use case is performed, using the defined factors. This use case is considered suitable to a conversational user interface according to the factors.