TTC Labs - Using conversation to offer a range of consent options

Using conversation to offer a range of consent options

Buenos Aires
4th Dec 2018

How can we enhance people's experience around consent flows, creating awareness and educating in both digital and physical environments?

Buenos Aires - Ditto - Hero Image
Product Context

Ditto is a companion app for a connected speaker system that includes: a voice assistant used to control music, answer questions, play movies and manages other connected devices.

In order to provide this service, Ditto is powered by some of the following data:

  • The Ditto speaker system and companion app both include a voice assistant. The voice assistant uses voice recognition to identify different people and access the appropriate information for them.
  • Ditto may access 3rd party services you have authorised including your music streaming service or your calendar.
  • The Ditto speaker is always listening but uses 'sleep' mode when not in use. You can 'wake' the device by using the phrase “Yo Ditto [your request]”. Whilst in 'sleep' mode the speaker cannot connect to the Ditto server and no information is logged from your device.
Buenos Aires - Ditto - Hero Image

Problem & Opportunity

Explore ways of offering consent options during first time use in a clear and human way that's also educational and informative. Also looking at how we can show this information capture in the physical world using voice and the connected speaker.

How might we...

...Explore ways of offering consent options during first time use in a clear and human way that's also educational and informative. Also looking at how we can show this information capture in the physical world using voice and the connected speaker.

Design Features
Signalling information capture in the real world

Giving people clear signals about when connected speakers are listening and collecting information and when they're not. Allowing a person to select how long the speaker can continue listening after the speaker has been activated (Saying “Hey Ditto....”). This is an adjustable setting in the app and is displayed as a coloured timer on the physical device.

Signalling information capture in the real world
Design Features
Making consent conversational and educational

During set up a person can talk to the physical device, this allows us to communicate information collection in a more human and understandable way. Whilst also letting people ask questions about why certain information is needed so the value exchange can be clearly communicated to them, making people more informed and comfortable.

 Buenos Aires - Ditto - Design Feature 2
Design Features
Documenting conversations and allowing for constant changes

When consent decisions are being made during voice conversations, they must be recorded and documented for future reference or legal obligations. Such a record could be sent to people later on, once people have built up a use pattern so that they can review it and adjust any settings to match their preferences.

 Buenos Aires - Ditto - Design Feature 3
Next steps

How might we build on Ditto's ideas to...

  • Explore ways about making consent more conversational and informative
  • Explore the opportunities for trust and consent with voice
 Buenos Aires - Ditto - Next Steps