This Conversational A.I. How-To article reviews adding an intent to a bot application. It is strongly encouraged for users to review the Intent Behavior in Bot Config article prior to adding new intents.
Overview
Intents are the goal, purpose, or
intent a user has within the context of a conversation. Once a properly configured intent is triggered by an utterance, a multitude of actions and/or responses can occur, depending on an organization's needs.
Adding an Intent
Navigating to the relevant area
- Log in to the CAI Configuration interface
- Select Applications along the top of the screen and choose the relevant TD Bot Application.
- Along the left-hand side of the TD Bot App configuration screen, select Intents
Adding an Intent
- Select the green Add button along the top of the screen.
- Select a Name for your intent.
- It is helpful to have a naming convention for custom intents. This will help with searching and modifying intents as your bot grows in complexity over time.
- Select an Intent Type
- Conversation Start (Welcome)
- Trigger: Initiated when a new conversation begins.
- Use: Configure a welcoming message or a quick introduction to the chatbot's capabilities to guide users on how to proceed.
- Standard
- Trigger: Occurs when a user action triggers the intent via configured utterances.
- Use: Typical intent used to complete the core functions of a chatbot via a designed chat flow.
- Multiple Intents Matched
- Trigger: Occurs when a user sends a message that could be interpreted multiple ways and thus, would trigger multiple intents simultaneously.
- Use: Configure a default response guiding the user if two or more intents are matched during a chat interaction.
- No Intents Matched
- Trigger: Occurs when no intent meets the selection criteria.
- Use: Configure a default response guiding the user to rephrase their query or offering options to choose from, ensuring the conversation continues smoothly.
- Live Chat Request
- Trigger: Occurs when a user asks to speak to a live agent or representative.
- Use: Use this intent to configure a default response to a request to speak to a live agent. Always be sure to ask the user if they want to be transferred before connecting.
- Live Chat Cancelled
- Trigger: Occurs when a live chat request is cancelled.
- Use: Use this intent to configure a default response to a live chat cancellation.
- Intent Flow End
- Trigger: Marks the completion of an intent's flow.
- Use: A good opportunity to ask if the user needs further assistance or to introduce related topics or services.
- Conversation End
- Trigger: Activated when a conversation concludes.
- Use: Use this intent to collect feedback, offer additional assistance, or provide closure to the conversation in a friendly manner.
- Error
- Trigger: Activated upon a system error.
- Use: Inform the user that an error has occurred in a user-friendly manner and offer alternatives, such as contacting human support.
- For more information on Intent Types, please review Intent Behavior in Bot Config
- Add Keywords.
- These are a list of comma-separated keywords that can be used to help find the intent later.
- Add a Description of your Intent
- Select a Template
- None
- Start with an empty Intent Flow. Add steps to the flow as needed.
- Say Something (simple text response)
- Start with an Intent Flow that responds to the user with a simple text string. You can specify what to say here or enter it later in the Intent Flow Designer.
- Show Something (card, image, video, link, custom html, etc.)
- Start with an Intent Flow that responds to the user by showing them something. You will select the type of content to show the user (a card, video, custom html, etc.).
- Ask a Question
- Ask the user a question that expects a response. You can enter the question here or do it later in the Intent Flow Designer.
Template Guide
Use the appropriate guide below based on which Intent template is selected.
- Select Add New
- Additional configuration is done in the General, Utterances, and Design panels of this Intent.
- In the Say This text area, enter what the bot should say. You can also enter this later in the Intent Flow Designer. The latter method also allows you to construct what to say using variables and expressions.
- Select Add New
- Additional configuration is done in the General, Utterances, and Design panels of this Intent.
- Select Add New
- With the new Intent open, select Design on the left hand panel.
- Select the gear next to Show Card.
- Chose the Content Type. Available types are:
- Card
- Includes a variety of optional components including title, sub-title, text, footer, and/or image. Actual presentation will depend on the channel.
- Custom HTML
- Dynamic Credential
- Prompts the user to carry out an OAuth2 or SAML authorization with an external service identified by a specified Dynamic Credential. One a user is authenticated with the specified external service, you can use a connector to connect to that service on behalf of the user.
- Form
- Presents a form of your choosing that the user should fill out and submit. The bot will wait for the user to submit the form (or cancel it) before continuing.
- Image
- Presents an image. You can select an image from the image library or provide a URL.
- Link
- A hyperlink to a web resource. By default, the link will be presented directly to the bot user and if the user clicks on the link it will launch in a new browser window. A variety of options are available, however, to control exactly how the link is handles. Use this type to present links to web pages, images, videos, and files.
- Text
- Plain text which may contain limited markdown.
- Text with Actions
- Plain text, which may contain limited markdown, followed by one or more action buttons or links. The user can click on the buttons or links to submit further requests to the bot or launch external web pages.
All text elements may include the following markdown formatting:
- Bold: **text**
- Italics: *text*
- Link: [text](link)
- Make a selection if this intent step should Wait For User Response
- Slide the toggle to Yes to have the step wait for the user to respond to what the bot says. The step will output the user's response as its output data.
- Slide the toggle to No to have the step execute without waiting for a response from the user. The step will not have any output.
- Configure the template based on selected type.
- Make a selection if this intent step should Show in Slide-Out
- Selecting Yes, presents the content in the Bot slide-out area, when available, instead of in the main chat area. If the slide-out area is not available for a given platform, the content will either be displayed in the normal chat area or, when possible and appropriate, in a popup window. The Slide-Out option is not available for the Dynamic Credential template.
- Select Save Changes
- In the Question to Ask text area, enter what the bot should ask. You can also enter this later in the Intent Flow Designer. The latter method also allows you to construct what to ask using variables and expressions.
- Select Add New
- Additional configuration is done in the General, Utterances, and Design panels of this Intent.
- After the intent has been created, on the left hand side of the CAI Configuration screen, select Utterances
- In the Training Utterances textbox, enter a phrase or sentence that users might say to trigger this intent.
- The article Review and Creating Utterances with Best Practices provides additional context and information regarding utterances.
- General tips include:
- Use Everyday Language
- Include phrases and expressions that mimic natural, conversational language.
- Provide Varied Examples
- Offer diverse examples for each intent to capture the range of ways your end users might express it.
- Iterate and Update
- Continuously refine and expand the bot’s vocabulary based on user interactions and feedback.
- Minimize Confusion
- Clearly distinguish between different intents to improve the bot’s accuracy and effectiveness.
- Select Add for each phrase. Aim for 10-15 phrases as a start.
- Once the utterances are added, select Train Now under the Train & Publish area of the left hand pane.
Congratulations, you've added a new intent.