Conveying Reassurance with Confidence and Confirmation

Every dialog depends on shared understanding. It’s as true for two people talking as when one participant is a computer. When you talk to someone, how do you know if you’re being understood or not? By the listener’s responses. They either reassure you that you’re understood or suggest that some correction is needed. When something’s important, you even check that your listener is paying attention by confirming (affirming, saying "yes") that information with your listener. And when you’re the listener, you sometimes want to verify your understanding or show that you’re still listening. When you’re talking to someone on the phone and can’t see each other’s faces and body language, verbal reassurance is even more necessary. This chapter focuses on how to create a VUI that's reassuring and confirms information only when necessary using the best method in each context.