2003-02-08

FingertipTV user paths


sentence patterns

a. now
b. now [channel]
c. later
d. later [channel]
e. earlier
f. earlier [channel]
g. next
h. next [channel]
i. previous
j. previous [channel]
k. [time]
l. [time] [channel]
m. [channel]
n. [programme id from list]

- all apart from n are possible start points
- terms in [] mean patterns, without mean keywords

some bits of internal state:
- channel cursor, C
- time cursor, T
- programme cursor, P

so for example
C_T_P_ means show all channels for now, programmes on right now
C_T_P1 means show all channels for now, programmes on next
C_T2200P-1 means all channels, time is 2200, and programme on previously


what to display:

* first step

path: a
list of available channels with the current programme name. each has an
id that can be typed to find out more about the programme

path: b
details (medium details?) about the current programme on this channel.
possibly the next programme's title should also be shown. each programme
has an id for more details.

path: c
ditto the path for a, but at time now plus 30 minutes. possibly now to
the next 30 minute increment, actually

path: d
ditto b, but see c for what time to choose

path: e
ditto c, but 30 minutes earlier

path: f
ditto b, but 30 minutes earlier

path: g
ditto the path for a, but with the exact next programme on each channel
(next from the current 'now' programme)

path: h
ditto b, but with the exact next programme (next from the 'now'
programme) on this channel. possibly show the following programme too

path: i
as g, but one programme before

path: j
as h, but one programme before

path: k
as a, but at the time specified

path: l
as b, but at the time and for the channel specified

path m:
as b

* second step

path:
an - details for the programme specified by n
or
ax - as x

path:
ba - as a, forget [channel]
bb - as b, with new [channel]. (if same show more details?)
bc, bd - as d, remember [channel] or use new one
be, bf - as f, remember [channel] or use new one
bg, bh - as h, remember [channel] or use new one
bi, bj - as j, remember [channel] or use new one
bk - as k, forget [channel]
bl - as l, remember [channel] or use new one
bm - as m, with new [channel]. (if same show more details?)
bn - show programme details

path:
ca - as a

...this could continue for a while, but it demonstrates that it's not a
simple interaction. current state interacts with previous state in an
interesting way. can it go further than that?


More notes:

The problem is that a good conversational interface has to make use of
every single piece of information the user has given it to say something
useful. Ideally, you'd map out the entire space, but there are 14^3
possible endpoints after the user's said only 3 things.

So this way isn't going to work, and I can't see an easy way to prune
back the conversation tree.

(I want to leave the way open to properly model a conversation, not just
shoe-horn it into stateless query/responses.)