Interested in learning how to run a successful chatbot development project plan. Well, while there is a lot that goes into chatbot development, one can certainly ensure everything goes smoothly. In this article, we are going to be providing you with all the necessary information such as messaging platforms, voice interfaces, and the importance of conversation design. Ultimately, providing you with great insight into how your chatbot development project plan should progress, forging the perfect chatbot in return. 

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1st Step: Why Do You Need a Chatbot? 

We’re not going to provide you with the benefits of having a chatbot, we know you must be well aware of them. However, in order to run a successful chatbot development project plan, you must really understand the reason behind why you need a chatbot in the first place. Many chatbot development companies begin by asking the client “what is the reason for the existence of your chatbot”? Ultimately, before getting into the nitty gritty technical details of the project, it is much more important to have a clear understanding of what your chatbot will do. 

2nd Step: Chatbot Platform 

In this step, you’re going to need to do some extensive research in order to find out which chatbot platform is best for your chatbot development project plan. Finding out what platform your audience would prefer to communicate with is highly important and you should base your chatbot platform decision solely based on it. Which chatbot platform do we recommend? Well, Facebook Messenger is the most popular one. It has more than 1 billion users and the platform has an active team that is constantly improving it. It also provides incredible UI elements which can be of great use in terms of improving the user experience.

Additionally, if you prefer your chatbot project to live in a voice interface, Amazon Alexa or Google Home might be a better choice. Alexa has proven itself to be much more than just a home handling AI device. It can aid in the business world as well by acting as an intelligent assistant simply by integrating it with your enterprise systems. So, if a voice interface is what you prefer, we recommend Alexa or Google Home. 

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3rd Step: Chatbot Personality 

Nobody wants to talk to a robot simply because it lacks a human touch. Therefore, a chatbot must always have a personality and tone of voice which would make the user comfortable to engage. By creating a sort of “character” for your chatbot, it can also be used in planning the conversation diagram which will help in forming the chatbot’s persona in conversing with the users. 

Professional chatbot developers recommend creating a complete agent character which can then allow adaptability such as adding humor to the bot’s responses. Visual designers can assist in the creation of a creative chatbot character. 

4th Step: Chatbot Conversation Design

When it comes to the chatbot conversation design, a whiteboard session would be really helpful. In order to make sure the chatbot conversation design turns out great and allows you to run a successful chatbot development project plan, recording all possible topics and conversation parts are critical. For instance, if you have a website that sells clothes, you don’t just want the bot to pop up and say “How can I help you”? You’re going to want the conversation to have a smooth start and a smooth flow to entice the user to engage with your bot. 

How can this be done? Well, by using a simple mind map and taking into consideration all the little details and possible outcomes of a conversation, a smooth chatbot conversation design is possible. Of course, this does require a high level of research and implementation, but it certainly is worth it. 

The next step is to write the bot scripts one at a time, starting with the basics and working your way up to personality-driven intents and various responses. Always attempting to concentrate on one aspect of the conversation at a time.

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5th Step: Chatbot UX Design

The possibilities for conversation are boundless. Users can ask any question they wish when they first start chatting with a bot. However, this can make it difficult to progress a conversation using planned responses. Designers must assume command and create a user flow that guides people through the intended discussion.

One of the basic principles of user interface design is to give users enough direction so that they know where they are in the system and what is expected of them. It's critical that each inquiry be extremely clear during a conversation so that they understand what type of information has to be entered.

For example, the objective of the chatbot should be explicitly defined in the greeting message in order to start a smooth discussion and prevent wandering away from the bot's purpose.

Because open-ended inquiries allow users to answer in ways that the chatbot may not support, closed intents will keep users on the flow rather than open intentions. Add buttons that provide particular replies that are tailored to the user to avoid a dead end dialogue.

6th Step: Chatbot Development

In this step of the chatbot development project plan, you’re going to be getting right into the development process. Professionals recommend using the Agile development process using sprints. Begin releasing features as much as possible in order to meet the story features from the very beginning. The team involved in the process should work closely in order to test and improve the bot flow, the conversational knowledge base, the bot’s personality, and the user experience. 

Chatbot Development Project Plan: The End 

In order to run a successful chatbot project plan, there are several factors to take into account and focus on. Hence, in order to make sure your chatbot development investment provides a good ROI, hire a professional chatbot developer from the very beginning. Connect with the best chatbot development companies in the world at Distinguished.io today! 

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