You have envisioned the experience you want your callers to have. You have tried to foresee and plan for any problem contingency that might arise. Now you are ready to start actually mapping the flow of your speech application. A number of methods can serve you well in this effort, but here are a couple of the more common approaches:

• Describe the flow verbally. Talk through each of your scenarios verbally. Make sure you take note of where the prompts occur and what you want callers to say or do. Record these verbal walkthroughs.

• Use a flow diagram. As you work through your scenarios, you can create a flow diagram to show the major points in the call flow. Use this diagram to show such things as:

  • Where you want to offer options to callers

  • Where you want them to listen to the entire prompt and where they can interrupt, or "barge in", and cut the prompt off

  • Where you require a response from callers and what the valid responses will be

  • Where you want or need to access databases to retrieve or record customer data

  • How and where you want to access a Web service to respond to a customer request

Again, the idea is to be as complete and comprehensive as possible. Try and foresee every eventuality, and map how the system will respond.