Where and how – choosing devices

Next we need to define the devices and channels we would like our bot to be available on: should it be on voice or chat? Should it run on a third-party platform or on our own digital real estate?

We have defined some of the leading devices and channels throughout this book and have emphasized their advantages and disadvantages. As a true believer in cross-channel support, I believe that when we are building a conversational solution, it should (eventually) become available on multiple devices and channels, creating a continuous experience across multiple mediums.

With that being said, for some verticals and industries, text solutions will make more sense, whereas in others, voice-enabled ones will have more success. This is a question you should be addressing as you build your project's strategy and as you evaluate and adjust it. New devices and mediums appear pretty often, so you might find yourself adding additional support as you go.

Figure 4: Chat, voice...