Voice Recognition Projects: Top Success Factors

There are many crucial ingredients to successful project management in IVR systems. Read some of the top success factors to learn about the successful implementation of customized speech recognition software projects:

To ensure high returns, the successful deployment of any project involving customized speech recognition software development necessitates careful financial planning. For this reason, in-depth ROI analysis should be a prerequisite for the initiation of successful IVR projects. ROI analysis entails auditing existing infrastructures and PMO (present mode of operation) costs, assessing the cost of the future IVR system and FMO (future mode of operation), and anticipating hidden integrational costs. The development of different ROI models lowers risk, maximizes returns, and assures that a business investment in IVR technology is worthwhile. Through the process of careful, detailed financial analysis, the potential for budget aberrancy is dramatically reduced and the business objectives for the IVR system are established. Thus, ROI analysis allows for the formation of realistic financial goals and establishes that successful IVR deployment is both a possible and worthwhile company investment.


2) Careful Project Scoping and Initiation for Customized Speech Recognition
     Software Development

Different ROI models provide grounds for comparing various voice recognition options. The selection and development of a detailed strategic plan from ROI analysis is a crucial success factor in any project involving customized speech recognition software development. With business goals and milestones clearly defined, a project is far more likely to succeed. Good project scoping seeks to maximize ROI. It includes auditing the preexisting infrastructure, researching and selecting vendors, and creating a specific, tailored execution plan. Decisions involving software selection—such as whether text to speech (TTS) technology would be relevant, for instance, or to what extent integration is achievable—occur at this crucial planning stage. Without the outline of a high-quality strategic plan, an IVR project may be set up for failure before it even begins.


3) Positive Voice Recognition Experience

Over the years, voice recognition software has had a poor reputation for creating a negative user experience. Technological advances have dramatically improved the functioning of IVR systems; however, voice recognition software needs to be carefully tailored to ensure that the user’s experience is positive. It is thus crucial to create a positive user experience to ensure a satisfactory IVR system. User psychology is a critical factor to IVR project success, and the development of relevant scripts is indispensable. A good script must adhere to user expectation, create an appropriate persona, anticipate response sequences, and minimize the time spent on the phone. Thus, achieving IVR project success requires developmental usability tests to assure user satisfaction. Without the essential feedback offered by usability tests and user input, the potential quality of an IVR system is compromised. For this reason, it pays to invest in IVR testing or to try out text to speech (TTS) software on a sample population. With Wizard of Oz testing, for example, a human simulates system responses to verify usability before implementation. It is important to take the time to test and analyze systems, discover where there is room for improvement, and hence maximize the quality of an IVR system before full-scale implementation.


4) Methodical Project Administration

The framework of an IVR project is created through initial strategic planning and project scoping. Following usability testing, however, it is possible that the entire system design will be modified. When the development plan is decidedly established and the resources secured, there must be careful project management to ensure IVR project success. Quality project management involves both risk management and change management, ensuring that system modifications are properly evaluated and implemented. It is important that all parties involved in the project such as software and hardware vendors, software development subcontractors and your company’s internal resources operate in sync with one another, that developmental phases are conducted efficiently with no bottlenecks, and that subprojects run on time. This involves anticipating potential challenges ahead of time, planning and preparing for each step in advance, facilitating fast and effective communication between parties, and setting intermediate code reviews and status meetings. Such methodical project supervision ensures that voice recognition projects are implemented efficiently and effectively to guarantee IVR project success.


5) Smooth Project Transition and Maintenance

To facilitate the integration of a new IVR system, added measures are necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Staff must be fully trained and users should often be notified and prepared. Crimsonet’s experience shows that users who are well-prepared for a system change report higher satisfaction rates. Having a smooth transition into preexisting infrastructures helps guarantee IVR system success. In order to maintain a high level of system performance and assure that business goals continue to be met, it is necessary to use software analytics to continually monitor and tune the IVR system. Metrics should be defined, monitoring tools set up, data collected, and analysis and tuning activities take place from time to time. Verifying all of the system components allows for adjustment due to business growth and evolution. Diligent monitoring and tuning ensures the continued success of any speech recognition software solution.