June 24: Chatbot

What's Good Chat(bot)

What is a Bot?

• computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the internet
• similar to texting a friend, but instead, conversation is with a computer pogram

How does it work? 

• programmed to understand what one types and respond with a meaningful and reasonable answer
• can answer questions
• can provide information
• can uphold a conversation

Where do you find chatbots? 

• on websites
• in apps
• on messaging platforms such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp

Why are chatbots useful?

• used by companies to help answer customer questions quickly
• can work 24/7 without getting tired
• helps with common questions
• frees up human workers for more complex tasks

My Chatbot via Python

My chatbot begins by asking for the user's name. As the user asks the given questions, the chatbot will respond with the respective answers in the "elif" statements, until the user prints either "bye", which will end the conversation, or the user asks a question undefined by my code, in which case the chatbot will reply with "I don't have a real answer, but I'm still learning!"

Chatfuel

My chatbot suggests an accessory to wear depending on the time of day and the weather.

Flow

A flow is the structured path or sequence of interactions that guide the conversation between the user and the bot. It involves the design of various conversational branches, prompts, responses, and transitions based on user inputs. A flow ensures that the conversation remains coherent, relevant, and leads to the desired outcome, whether it’s providing information, completing a task, or guiding the user through a process.

Common Pitfalls:

• ambigous user inputs
• limited scope of responses
• inadequate error handling
• overly complex flows
• lack of personalization
• inconsistent tone and style
• ignoring user feedback
• latency and performance issues
• privacy and security concerns
• failures to set user expectations