In this session, we will give you a complete picture of all the tools and techniques required to build complex, production-quality Alexa skills. You will leave this session knowing how to use Alexa's dialog management, entity resolution, and slot elicitation capabilities as well as how to process the results through a microservice with AWS Lambda.

1. AWS re:INVENT
Applying Alexa’s Natural Language
to Your Challenges
@BobStolzberg
@VoiceXPinc
@PaulCutsinger
@BobSerr
A L X 3 2 6

2. 1 9 7 0 s 1 9 8 0 s 1 9 9 0 s P R E S E N T2 0 0 0 s
Character Mode
GUI
Web
Mobil
e
VUI

3. CONVERSATIONAL UI IN PRACTICE
CenturyLink Chingy Phoenix/ASUFirst Integrity
Mortgage
First Alexa
“Marketing Campaign
In a Box” Skill
First Platinum Artist
to distribute content
via Alexa Skill
Makes home loan
and lending
process easier
Only Skill optimized
for Echo Show included with
Phoenix Amazon HQ2
RFP Response

4. CONVERSATION

5. ONE SHOT INVOCATION

6. ONE SHOT INVOCATION

7. MULTI-TURN DIALOGS
Alexa, start outdoor guru
Welcome to…
Alexa, ask outdoor guru about kayaking
Where to?
Portland
Portland?
Yes
When .. leave?
Next Friday
Until when?
The following Tuesday
What will you like to do?
I’ll be golfing
Did I get all this right?
yes
I have two ideas for you…
Invoking
the skill
Dialog
support
Intent
handling

8. MULTI-TURN DIALOGS
Alexa, start outdoor guru
Welcome to…
Alexa, ask outdoor guru about kayaking
Where to?
Portland
Portland?
Yes
When .. leave?
Next Friday
Until when?
The following Tuesday
What will you like to do?
I’ll be golfing
Did I get all this right?
yes
I have two ideas for you…
Slot
elicitation
Slot
confirmation
Intent
confirmation

9. SLOTS
{animal}
dog
cat
{size}
tiny
small
medium
large
{fur}
long
short
{temperament}
playful
lazy
mean
I’d like a that’s haired, and
{animal}
dog
cat
{size}
tiny
small
large
gigantic
{fur}
long
short
{temperament}
playful
lazy
mean
I’d like a with hair.

10. GRAPH UI VS. FRAME UI

11. DIALOG MANAGEMENT

12. DIALOG MANAGEMENT
{size}
{energy}
{temperament}
petMatchAPI ()
prompt
prompt
prompt
dialog complete
dialog
in
progress
dialog directive:
delegate or
elicit slot with prompt

13. DIALOG MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE
Demos:
• Have a Business Conversation
• CenturyLink
• Enter a Contest
• Harlem Globetrotters

14. small
mini ?
little ?
petite ?
{size}
tiny
small
medium
large

15. ENTITY RESOLUTION
{size} synonyms
tiny mini, petite, teacup
small mini, little, lap, tiny
medium average, typical
large Huge, big, gigantic

16. ENTITY RESOLUTION

17. ENTITY RESOLUTION—MATCH
"slots": {
”size": {
"value": "little",
"resolutions": {
"resolutionsPerAuthority": [ {
"status": {
"code": "ER_SUCCESS_MATCH”},
"values": [{
"value": {
"name": "small"
}
{size}
tiny
small
medium
large

18. ENTITY RESOLUTION —MATCH MULTIPLE VALUES
"slots": {
”size": {
"value": "mini",
"resolutions": {
"resolutionsPerAuthority": [ {
"status": {
"code": "ER_SUCCESS_MATCH"},
"values": [{
"value": {
"name": "tiny”
},
"value": {
"name": "small”
},
{size}
tiny
small
medium
large

19. ENTITY RESOLUTION—NO MATCH
"slots": {
”size": {
"value": "itty bitty",
"resolutions": {
"resolutionsPerAuthority": [ {
"status": {
"code": "ER_SUCCESS_NO_MATCH"}
{size}
tiny
small
medium
large

20. ENTITY RESOLUTION IN PRACTICE
Demos:
• Find an Auto Dealership Location
• Contact Auto Dealership

21. ENTITY RESOLUTION HANDLING POSSIBILITIES

22. CONVERSATIONAL UI IN PRACTICE
Dialog Management and
Entity Resolution Demo:
• Schedule a Test Drive

23. DIALOG MANAGEMENT & ENTITY RESOLUTION

24. BUILDING NATURAL LANGUAGE DIALOGS
D ialog Management and Entity R es olution
alexa.design/guide

25. Thank you! More sessions
ALX, SKL
ALX321 State of the Science (Tue)
ALX324 State of the Union (Wed)
Hackathons HAC01, HAC03
Continue the conversation
@BobStolzberg
@VoiceXPinc
@PaulCutsinger
@BobSerr