There are several apps that allow you to create Alexa skills and Google actions without knowing how to code that are good to experiment with the platforms. So here’s a list of resources that you can use today without coding:

• Voice apps. That’s voiceapps.com. Create Alexa skills
• Also for Alexa is Storyline. Storyline has a very active Facebook group where they answer user questions very quickly. Website it’s getstoryline.com
• Conversation.one. Conversation allows to build for Alexa, Google Actions and chatbots. Website it’s conversation.one.
• Dialog Flow seems really complete as it lets you create chatbots for Facebook messenger, Google actions, Alexa skills and Microsoft Cortana. Check them out at dialogflow.com
• Other resources include books, tutorials and even a Twitch channel for Alexa developers. If you want to learn more about these check out voicefirstweekly.com/flashbriefing.

Books:

• Designing Voice User Interfaces: Principles of Conversational Experiences. I have been reading this one and I think is quite good, it’s really spot on terms of design and user experience. By Cathy Pearl
• Voice User Interface Design, even tho this book it’s a few years old, it’s recommended by Pearl and by the Amazon developers team.
• Designing Bots: Creating Conversational Experiences. By Dave Isbitski
• Dave is Alexa Chief evangelist. All things Alexa.

https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/alexa/post/2784c5a4-4709-409b-8c09-a780fcefcbcd/7-great-books-podcasts-and-videos-for-voice-designers

Courses:

Course for developers of Alexa skills:

Codeacademy:

• Introduction to Alexa
• Conversational Design with Alexa

Google Actions:

Udemy

• Mastering Google Actions: https://www.udemy.com/mastering-google-actions/
• Actions on Google Assistant. https://www.udemy.com/actions-on-google-app-google-assistant/

Disclaimer: We are not affiliate or associate with the companies mentioned including but not limited to Amazon.com, Udemy.com or any other site mentioned above.

Today we are discussing psychology and the meaning of life, hahaha, not that much we’ll be talking about whether companies should assign a gendered voice to their skills/actions, their brand in voice platforms. Here is the tweet that sparked our interest.

Here’s the deal with gender. Ultimately, AI is about delivering a fast, context appropriate interaction with your service, not foisting a new friend on your customer. Brands aren’t gendered. Their websites aren’t either. Google got this right. 

Found in this tweet

Well, we disagree, I think it’s inevitable that consumers will anthropomorphize brands in voice platforms. Whenever we talk about this issue I remember the movie Her. And I think this is more or less where the VoiceFirst movement will lead us, people naturally assign personality to voices, even computer-generated voices like Alexa. And the same will happen to the voice of your brand. Like the logo is today an important branding element for your company, voice and sonic identity will be in the years to come.

Find the tweet we are referencing here at voicefirstweekly.com/flashbriefing.