Voice UI Design: Creating Conversational Mobile Experiences

The Rise of Voice

Voice is the most natural interface. 50% of searches are voice. Users expect hands-free interaction while driving or cooking.

Be concise (the Gricean maxims). Don't make the user memorize syntax. Support natural language variants ("Turn on light" vs "Lights on").

Voice is invisible. The screen must confirm listening state, processing, and success. Use waveforms or glow effects.

How do users know they can talk? Use microphone icons prompt text ("Try saying..."). Educate users during onboarding.

"I didn't catch that." failures are frustrating. providing helpful reprompts. Offer tap alternatives if voice fails repeatedly.

Explicitly show when the mic is active. Don't record silently. Use local processing where possible for privacy.

Integrate with Siri Shortcuts and Google Assistant. Let users launch your app's features from the system level.