Audio feedback and voice UI patterns for AirPods and HomePod

Voice user interfaces (VUIs) have gone mainstream in the last five years or so, but I’ve been helping computers understand what you say since 2000.

This makes me the go-to designer at Siri when it comes to the low-level “mechanics” of the conversation— which microphone is listening under which Bluetooth configuration, for example. I ensure customers have a smooth Siri experience as they move through their days using a variety of Apple devices connected to a variety of accessories (oddly enough, your car is just an “accessory” as far as your iPhone is concerned!).

Conversational Siri on AirPods
Conversational Siri on AirPods

I also designed a number of the VUI “platform patterns” that Siri leverages on HomePod, AirPods, and other audio-first or audio-only hardware. These include list reading, feed browsing and delay/error announcements.

HomePod
HomePod