Conversation designer: What do they do and how to become one?
Fatema Patrawala
UX Designer
Content Writer
Blog Writer
Have you ever interacted with a robot on a website or messenger? You might have seen those pop-ups with either a human or robot face. They’re there to help or share info about products and services. Sometimes, they’re just trying to prolong your visit by keeping you engaged.
Ever wonder who makes those tiny bots come alive?
Yes, let’s meet the folks responsible for creating those little software applications on websites, mobile apps, and platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. These chatbots, or automatic chat experiences, are crafted by individuals who go by the title of “Conversation designers.”
But what exactly is Conversation design, and who are Conversation designers?
As per Voiceflow, one of the fastest-growing Conversational AI companies in the US, “Conversation design involves designing conversational interactions between humans and machines. It’s a relatively new discipline that has emerged with the rise of conversational systems such as chatbots, voice assistants, and AI agents.
At its core, conversation design is all about crafting engaging conversation flows that effectively communicate with the audience. This involves using natural language processing, machine learning algorithms, and large language models (LLMs) to develop these interactions. Conversation designers work to ensure that the conversation between the user and the machine is as seamless and natural as possible.”
Indeed, it’s the Conversation designer who is responsible for creating user-friendly and engaging conversational experiences through scripting dialogues for AI-driven interfaces. This role involves understanding user needs, collaborating with cross-functional teams, integrating AI technologies, and continuously refining conversation flows based on feedback and analytics. Additionally, a Conversation designer ensures empathetic and relatable interactions, conducts thorough testing, stays updated on industry trends, and adapts conversations for various platforms.
Career Trajectory for a Conversation designer
As it’s a relatively new discipline, I took the initiative to estimate the number of Conversation designers in the market, and here are some interesting statistics. On Reddit, I discovered a community of approximately 350 members. Within Conversational Collective — a voluntary Conversation design community on LinkedIn, to which I belong — we have over 850 members. If you perform a random search on LinkedIn to connect with fellow Conversation designers in your area, you may find barely 20 on the first page. Subsequently, the list will showcase individuals with related job roles, such as UX designer, Graphic designer, Chatbot developer, Chatbot designer, etc. A recent addition to this universe is the role of a Prompt engineer.
There are approximately 1500–2000 Conversation designers in the market! Agreed it’s a niche market, and although not many are aware of it, the demand for Conversation designers within companies will steadily increase as 80% of the businesses plan to implement chatbots or virtual assistants in 2024, as per a recent Conversational AI report.
Over the last five years, the demand for this role has surged witnessing the impact of innovations like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Midjourney, and DALL-E. Companies and individuals aiming to harness these technologies actively seek to hire Conversation designers to assist in comprehending and implementing this new-age tech. Additionally, you get to network with experts in fast-growing tech companies, unlock the potential to earn higher — starting from $79,457 — $106,405 annually or be a part of the growth story for smaller tech start-ups.
Education Background and Previous Work Experience
Obtaining a degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is crucial if you wish to go all in on a career as a Conversation designer. HCI is a field of study focused on enhancing the understanding of interactions and interfaces between humans and computers. Pursuing this course enables you to grasp how users engage with computers and equips you with the skills to design programs and technologies to maximize users’ tech usage. This foundation in human-computer interaction becomes invaluable when crafting user experience journeys as a Conversation designer.
Enrolling in this course is highly recommended since it often serves as a mandatory requirement for specific job openings in Conversation design. Many employers seek candidates with an educational background or a degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) when hiring for these roles.
If you’re planning to transition from a related field and already possess some work experience, having a degree in HCI might not be a strict requirement. I’ve met numerous Conversation designers with diverse educational and professional backgrounds. Many successfully migrate from roles like content writing, marketing, UI/UX designing, or even engineering. I know a fellow Conversation designer who made the leap from fashion designing, which is exceptionally rare. The key is to demonstrate a strong willingness and interest in the field, and you’ll likely be considered for the job, given that many entering this field are relatively new themselves.
It is also advisable to enroll in online courses. I highly recommend the Conversation Design Institute by Hans van Dam. This institute offers a variety of courses with certifications that contribute to building skills as a Conversation designer. Additionally, joining LinkedIn groups like Conversational Collective or following thought leaders in the field such as Hillary Black, Kane Simms, Jim Rowe-Bot, Braden Realm, and Martyn Redstone can provide valuable insights into the current developments in the field of Conversation design.
Top skills required to become a Conversation designer
As a Conversation Designer, versatility is key, and you often find yourself wearing multiple hats to become an indispensable part of your team. However, certain specific skill sets are crucial for success in this role.
Understanding of Conversational AI Technologies, and Platforms: Mastery of various technologies, platforms, and tools relevant to Conversation design. There are a number of tools you can get started with for example, Microsoft Luis, Amazon Lex, Rasa, Kore.ai, Voiceflow, Google Assistant, IBM Watson and so many more. All these companies also seek to recruit Conversation designers.
User Experience Understanding: In-depth comprehension of user experience principles that enable one to empathize with users to design seamless journeys.
Effective Communication and Presentation: Ability to articulate and present designs and user journeys clearly to internal teams or clients.
API Documentation and Scenario Design: Understanding of API documentation and the capability to devise API scenarios for designing responses.
Analytics Understanding: Proficient understanding of analytics and the ability to recommend improvements or enhancements in user journeys based on data insights.
For individuals possessing the right abilities and attitude, now is undeniably the right time to take the plunge into Conversational design. The ongoing technological revolutions, especially in the field of Generative AI, present a dynamic landscape full of untapped opportunities for Conversation designers. The high demand in tech companies, coupled with the growing need for scale and integration of Conversational AI across industries, creates a favorable environment for those ready to grab this bull by its horns.
If you’d like to know more about this field, get in touch with me at designingconversations101@gmail.com
