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Design+ Design chatbot using activity theory

engagement, and the overall success of interactions. user frustration. Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics provide
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A chatbot with a well-designed UX not only meets user a strong foundation for designing intuitive and error-
needs but also fosters trust and long-term usage. A chatbot free interfaces, including chatbots. However, they focus
with a strong UX improves user satisfaction, enhances primarily on static, GUI-based designs and may fall short
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engagement, builds trust and credibility, fosters emotional in addressing the dynamic, context-dependent nature of
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connection, and aligns business and user goals. Thus, UX chatbot interactions. Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics do
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must be considered when designing effective chatbots, not account for how social, cultural, and historical factors
and principles of UX from models and theories must be influence user interaction, limiting their scope in designing
applied. chatbot applications. Activity theory offers a more holistic
Theoretical frameworks are important for designing framework, emphasizing user goals, cultural factors, and
effective chatbots that will support usability and UX adaptability, making it particularly suitable for complex
because they provide a structured foundation for designing chatbot applications. Combining both approaches can
usability and UX. They help designers understand human result in more effective and user-centered chatbot designs.
behavior, predict user interactions, and create systems User-Centered System Design provides a robust
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that meet user needs efficiently. According to Norman, framework for designing user-friendly systems,
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applying theories ensures a scientific, repeatable approach emphasizing usability, user involvement, and iterative
to design, improving the likelihood of creating effective, refinement. Although effective, there are several limitations.
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user-friendly chatbots. Theories are important because User-Centered System Design emphasizes usability over
they help to identify key use needs and preferences, understanding the systemic context of user interactions,
enabling the design to align with user expectations. Nielsen which may limit its applicability for goal-oriented, multi-
usability heuristics emphasize visibility of system status, user systems. User-Centered System Design also primarily
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user control, and error prevention, which are critical focuses on individual users’ tasks and preferences,
for chatbots. Another function of theories is to provide potentially neglecting the broader socio-cultural context of
benchmarks for evaluating a system’s usability. Theories chatbot interactions. Activity theory offers a complementary
help identify design flaws and areas for improvement, approach, addressing broader socio-cultural contexts,
making iterative design processes more effective. systemic integration, and evolving user goals, making it
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According to Shneiderman, a theoretical approach enables better suited for complex chatbot design.
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designers to predict user behavior, improving the chatbot’s 6
ability to deliver intuitive and seamless interactions. Emotional Design, developed by Donald Norman,
emphasizes the role of emotions in shaping UX with
Some examples of the use of theoretical applications products and systems. While Emotional Design
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in chatbot design are Duolingo’s conversational chatbot. emphasizes creating products that evoke positive emotions
It uses cognitive load theory to keep interaction concise through visceral, behavioral, and reflective design levels, it
by offering hints only when necessary, thus reducing user has significant limitations when applied to chatbot design.
effort and enhancing learning. Google assistant uses The design of chatbots requires a balance of emotional
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Norman’s principles by providing clear feedback and engagement, functional efficiency, and adaptability to
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visibility, such as progress indicators for long-running diverse user needs and contexts. Norman’s Emotional
tasks. Design focuses on how users emotionally interact with a
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Don Norman’s The Design of Everyday Things system at three levels: visceral (esthetic appeal), behavioral
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introduced a set of design principles focused on creating (usability), and reflective (personal meaning). While
intuitive and user-centered interfaces. These principles are these are valuable for engaging users, the framework
foundational for interface design and can be applied to a tends to neglect the broader socio-cultural and systemic
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variety of domains, including the design of chatbots. This contexts in which chatbots operate. Chatbot interactions
work primarily addresses interface-level issues and lacks often involve evolving user goals that require dynamic
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a focus on broader social and cultural contexts. Activity adaptability, which Emotional Design does not inherently
theory, by contrast, goes beyond the interface to address address. Activity theory, with its focus on user goals,
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the system-level dynamics that influence usability and UX. socio-cultural dimensions, and systemic integration,
provides a more robust framework for designing adaptive
Jakob Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics for User Interface
Design outlines ten general principles to guide designers and context-aware chatbots.
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in creating interfaces that are intuitive, effective, and user- The Conversational UX Design Framework primarily
centered. These heuristics focus on improving usability, focuses on individual conversations without deeply
ensuring interfaces are functional, and minimizing considering the broader socio-cultural and systemic

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 4 doi: 10.36922/DP025060009