This workshop shared a tactic you can use to design and plan content for customer experiences. It's an activity we use at Capital One to help us make sure our content is clear, human, and relevant across our experiences -- and it helps get key work partners from all disciplines aligned too.

1. Sara Zailskas Walsh
sara.walsh@capitalone.com
J. Boye Aarhus November 2016
DESIGN THE
CONVERSATION:
AN APPROACH TO HELP YOU
STAY FOCUSED ON THE
CUSTOMER

2. My background
2
JOURNALISM
B2B
ASSOCIATION
B2C
USER EXPERIENCE
PRODUCT DESIGN
ECOMMERCE
PRINT, DIGITAL
TRAVEL
CHICAGOAN AT HEART …
NOW IN SAN FRANCISCO

4. ”
At Capital One, we say we
design conversations that
solve customer problems.

5. ”
We’re on a mission to
change banking for good.

6. ”
We bring simplicity,
humanity, and ingenuity
to banking by putting the
customer first.

7. ”
We design conversations
that are clear and
relevant.

8. 8
”
We apply 3 pillars when
designing what to say, to
whom, when, and how.
Natural
Language
1
2
3
Use Case
Relevant Context
Every conversation is guided by 3 pillars.

9. ”
The approach works.
On my team, we took a
26% completion rate to
92% by designing the
conversation.

10. ”
(The strategy for that same
project is now being applied
across our small-business
products for 2017.)

11. What we’ll do today:
11
๏ Review what we mean when we say we design the conversation.
๏ Learn a conversation design tactic to kick off a project customer-first.
๏ Practice it.
๏ Discuss how we can apply it to our own work groups.

12. What is conversation design?
FIRST THINGS FIRST

13. ”
Conversation design manifests
itself in experiences that feel like
real conversations because of
the language we use and
information we include.

14. (Let’s review.)
14
”
We apply 3 pillars when
designing what to say, to
whom, when, and how.
Natural
Language
1
2
3
Use Case
Relevant Context
How every person at Capital One can design experiences that feel like real conversations.

15. ”
Natural means clear —
similar to what you would
use in a conversation
when speaking to
someone who is new to
your company or product.

16. ”
We apply this across our
experience, from online bank and
credit card accounts
communications to our experience
on Amazon Echo (“Alexa”).

17. ”
The pillars force us to be
customer-first with our
content.

18. ”
(If you make the customer
happy, you win too.)

19. ”
How do you start?

20. Write the conversation
CONVERSATION BUBBLES

21. ”
Pick a task, and write
what a conversation
would sound like between
the customer and the
company to complete that
task.

23. Why this works
23
๏ Spot gaps in your knowledge.
๏ Discover use cases.
๏ Identify product ideas.
๏ Create actual copy you can use, written in natural
language.
๏ Capture guidelines that naturally surface.
When you look at the conversation you wrote,
you can:

24. You can do this by
yourself.
Better: Find a buddy.
Best: Invite key
work partners.
๏ Has a seat at the table.
๏ Can feel heard in a setting outside a
meeting.
๏ Flexes creative skills.
๏ Participates in foundational discussion.
๏ Puts the customer first.
๏ Reviews designs much quicker.
When you invite key partners, everyone:

25. LET’S PRACTICE!
TOPIC: ONBOARDING

26. ”
First:
Identify your customer
problem.

27. I’m a new employee trying to figure out how to work well
and fit into my new team. I need help understanding how
things work here. This is difficult because basic details
about day-to-day work life aren’t covered in formal
human resource introductions.
This makes me feel insecure and gives me more anxiety
that I don’t need (I’m already nervous!).
CUSTOMER PROBLEM:

28. THE PROBLEM:
I receive company human resources information
(company values, how to sign up for benefits, etc.)
when I start at a new company, but I have to ask
many questions to understand how to work well and
fit into my new team.

29. THE PROJECT:
We’re going to design the conversation we want new
employees to have with us on the first day of working
on our 12-person team at our mid-size creative
consulting company, Happy Company. The company
is set in an urban neighborhood.

30. THE QUESTION:
What would a conversation sound like between a
new employee and a team member in charge of
setting up and introducing this new employee to her/
his new team?

31. Use conversation bubbles to start the project.
31
1. Pair up.
2. Each person chooses a role: new employee (customer) or team
member (company).
3. Write the dialogue between a new employee and the team member
who’s doing the on boarding.

32. How’s your day going so far, Inge?
Not bad. I can’t figure out where to
put my lunch though …

33. Design the
conversation
1. Pair up.
2. Declare your role or position to your
partner.
3. Write the dialogue between a new
employee and the team member
who’s doing the on boarding.
Be sure to capture how you’d say it in
person; use natural, human language.
Consider having each person write their
part on a single, shared, piece of paper.
“I receive company human
resources information
(company values, how to sign
up for benefits, etc.) when I
started at my new company,
but I have to ask many
questions to understand how
to work well and fit into my
new team.

34. 30 MINUTES

35. BIO BREAK

36. ”
Let’s take turns reading your
conversations aloud for the group.
(There’s a point. Promise.)

37. ”
What did you like, and
why?

38. ”
What didn’t you like, and
why?

39. ”
Can you spot information
that must to be included?

40. ”
Can you spot information that
would be nice-to-have but isn’t
necessary to making an
employee easily fit in?

41. ”
Can you spot ideas for
how and where this
information should be
communicated?

42. ”
Double-click to Edit

43. ”
Can you spot guidelines
for what we should make
sure to do?

44. ”
Can you spot what should
we NOT do?

45. ”
Can you spot copy you
can use?

46. ”
Is there anything we
should NOT say?

47. A few tips
CONVERSATION BUBBLES

48. ”
Be sure to capture the
outcomes of the
discussion.

49. ”
Use them as guidance as
you put your plan into
play.

50. ”
Revisit them as you learn
about your customers and
plan for content.
Update any guidelines.

51. Examples
SNEAK PEAK INTO TOMORROW’S CONVERSATION DESIGN SESSION

52. Before

53. After

54. Before

56. After

57. ”
How can this fit into your
work?

58. ”
Questions?

59. CONTACT
AND FIND ME
415-470-3259
sara.walsh@capitalone.com
Like what you’re
hearing? We have a UK
office, and we’re hiring.

60. Appendix
TEMPLATES

61. I am [a/an] [which type of customer?] trying to [do what?]
[where or when?]. I need to [key need], but I can’t because
[what’s in my way?].
This makes me feel [my feelings].
CUSTOMER PROBLEM

62. Project name that makes
sense to your group
Describe the customer
and his/her task or
problem to the group.
Facilitator instructions to the group.
Time depends on scope of problem
and activity goal.
Facilitator guidance
Questions to cover
(Not shown) Recap what you heard.