Implicit and Explicit Confirmations

Ensuring proper communication is critical — don’t let a chatbot fail to chat! Bots must strike a balance between confirming user information and proceeding with a reasonable assumption of correctness. Explicit and implicit confirmations are the primary tools to achieve this balance.

Explicit confirmation

Explicit confirmations offer a direct response that leaves no room for ambiguity. They reassure users that the system not only understood them, but puts them in control of the activity. This is especially relevant in high-stakes contexts like financial transactions or medical data. For example, waiting to confirm the dates for a hotel booking prevents misunderstandings and boosts user confidence in the system. However, unnecessary confirmations disrupt the conversation flow and may lead users to perceive the bot as overly structured.

In summary, explicit confirmations:

Pros

• Provide clarity
• Ensure information accuracy
• Can confirm consent for actions like marketing emails

Cons

• Interrupt conversational flow
• Come off as too formal in some contexts
• Slow interactions

Implicit confirmations

Implicit confirmations keep the conversation flowing naturally by acknowledging user input without stopping to restate it. This subtle approach works well for routine interactions or with users familiar with the bot. By advancing to the next question while recognizing the previous input (e.g., “Got it, scheduling your flight for July 20. What time would you prefer?”), implicit confirmations create a more conversational experience.

Implicit confirmations can, at times, leave users uncertain, especially if the bot’s response doesn’t make it clear that it understood the input. In high-stakes cases, implicit confirmation may feel too vague - or worse, imply something incorrect- leading users to question whether the system understood their request.

In summary, implicit confirmations:

Pros

• Natural and fluid
• Maintain conversational momentum
• Personalize interactions

Cons

• Are awkward when misused
• Doesn’t serve as consent
• Limited correction opportunities

When are they used?

Here are common situations for using explicit and implicit confirmations.

Explicit Confirmations

Booking a Flight When users request flight bookings, explicitly confirming dates, times, and destinations ensures accuracy. This prevents errors that could result in missed flights or extra charges.

Submitting a Ticket Explicit confirmation here gives users a chance to catch typos. While minor errors may seem trivial, misspellings in emails, tracking numbers, and user names are common and can cause issues.

Exiting or Canceling a Workflow Explicitly confirming before exiting a workflow protects users from losing progress. This is especially crucial in longer workflows, though it can frustrate users who genuinely wish to exit.

Joining a Newsletter Marketing emails require explicit consent to comply with anti-spam regulations. Confirmation buttons help ensure user consent for newsletters, appointments, and similar actions.

Implicit Confirmations

Acknowledging Customer Complaints Implicit confirmations assure users their issues are understood. When used correctly, they let users know their needs are noted without halting the conversation.

Starting Users in a Workflow When users start a workflow, letting them know they’re in the right one is wise. This is especially helpful with intent-based bots where uses enter workflows without buttons.

Checking the Weather Weather updates are quick, low-risk actions. Implicit confirmations here are ideal, as explicit confirmations would only clutter the interaction. Stating the weather location makes it clear the bot understood the user’s request.

I hope this blog post has made you think about how it is important for chatbots to not only understand users, but communicate that understanding. Implicit and explicit confirmations are great tools for verifying information, personalizing conversations, and communicating competence.

See you in the next post!

❤️ Gordy