Today we welcome Michael McTear, Emeritus Professor at Ulster University on ‘Behind the Mic’ to share his expertise

Ulster University’s Emeritus Professor Michael McTear has a particular interest in spoken language technology. He has more than 20 years of experience conducting research in the area of spoken dialogue systems and is the co-author of several books, including Spoken Dialogue Systems (Morgan and Claypool, 2010), Spoken Dialogue Systems: Toward The Conversational User Interface (Springer, 2004), The Conversational Interface: Talking to Smart Devices (Springer, 2016), and Conversational AI ( Morgan & Claypool 2020). Michael is now engaged in a number of research and development initiatives looking at the usage of conversational bots.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Michael McTear to learn from his expertise and gain valuable insights into his career journey and perspectives on AI, NLP, and customer experience. Here are his thoughtful responses:

Q1. What motivated you to pursue a career in customer experience, and what key steps did you take to enter this field?

For most of my career I worked as an academic researcher and teacher at a university. My main research interest was in conversational interaction. In my early work I studied conversation development in children, including children with language difficulties. I became interested in how computers could process language and engage in conversation, so I started to study Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing and became involved in several R&D projects in which we worked closely with commercial companies.

Q2. How have you leveraged emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and blockchain to enhance customer experience in your organization?

I taught AI and NLP for many years and have continued to keep abreast of recent developments since my retirement. More recently, I have been involved in projects in which we developed conversational assistants for mental health support and in the promotion of active and healthy aging.

Q3. What are some of the most significant challenges you've faced in improving customer experience from a product management perspective, and how did you overcome them?

The main challenge that I have faced in recent projects is to find a balance between the expectations of users and what is possible with current technology. It is important to strike a realistic balance. In some cases users expect that AI can solve all their problems, while in other cases users are unaware of some of the benefits that can be gained through the use of AI in their business.

Q4. What role does customer feedback play in your product development process, and how do you gather and incorporate it effectively?

It is very important to engage users very early in the development process. We have used workshops and structured interviews to elicit user requirements and to align these with what is realistically achievable. Once an initial prototype has been created, we use living labs to test it thoroughly before moving to the next stage of deployment.

Q5. What strategies have you found most effective in delivering exceptional customer experiences through your products and services?

Products and services should be user-driven rather than technology-driven. This means that it is essential to keep users involved in all stages of the development process, from eliciting initial user requirements through to extensive testing and refinement.

Q6. How do you balance the need for innovation with the necessity of maintaining user-friendliness in your products?

It is not easy to balance the need for innovation with the necessity of maintaining user-friendliness and ease-of-use. With the rapid developments that are taking place in AI these days, there is pressure to keep up with cutting-edge technologies and not fall behind. We try to maintain an iterative design and development process in which we elicit continuous user feedback so that we can ensure that new features align with real user needs rather than adding complexity.

Q7. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and developments in customer experience and product management?

This is not easy given the rapid pace with which the field is evolving. I try to keep up to date with recent research in AI, industry reports, and announcements from leading organisations such as OpenAI and others. I find LinkedIn a useful resource as many colleagues with similar interests post news and ideas that are relevant and thought-provoking.

Conclusion

Throughout the above discussion, we’ve gained valuable insights into the intersection of AI, NLP, and customer experience from an expert who has seamlessly transitioned from academia to real-world applications. Michael’s journey highlights the importance of balancing technological advancements with user expectations, ensuring that innovation enhances rather than complicates customer interactions.
A key takeaway is the emphasis on user-driven development—engaging customers early in the process, incorporating feedback iteratively, and maintaining a realistic approach to AI capabilities. Additionally, staying updated with industry trends and leveraging collaborative knowledge-sharing platforms like LinkedIn can help professionals navigate the ever-evolving landscape of AI and customer experience.

“Thank you for tuning in to this weeks Behind the Mic, where experts like Michael share their insights and experiences to drive innovation and craft user-centric solutions in today’s digital landscape.”