Defining the Conversational Coaching Flow
This chapter describes strategies for managing the conversational coaching flow and helps you build a well-structured framework for your coaching dialogues.
Before you start: Make sure you already have a complete overview of all Micro Dialogs, their triggers and their timing. This is the foundation for an effective coaching flow. The following best practices will help you with this:
1. Overview: Four Questions for Every Micro Dialog
For each question or Micro Dialog, answer these four questions. The following sections will help you with each of them.
| # | Question | What to decide | See section |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is the question blocking? | Does the question have to be answered before the dialogue can continue, or does it disappear after a set time? (Usually, questions are blocking.) | 2 |
| 2 | Can the active Micro Dialog be interrupted? | Can the current dialogue be paused or interrupted by a new incoming dialogue? | 3 |
| 3 | Which Micro Dialogs can interrupt it? | Which dialogues are allowed to interrupt the current one? This usually depends on their priority. | 3.1 |
| 4 | What happens after the interruption? | Does the original dialogue continue, or is it ended once the new dialogue is completed? | 4 |
2. Blocking Questions vs. Time-out Questions
There are two types of questions that guide the conversation flow:
| Type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Blocking question (standard) | Stays active until the user answers. It doesn't disappear from the chat until it's answered. Blocking questions can still be interrupted or skipped (see sections 3 and 4). |
| Time-out question | Stays active for a set period and disappears if it isn't answered in time. |
2.1 Best Practice
Use blocking questions by default. They are the most common type in coaching dialogues. Users often feel confused and frustrated when questions disappear before they can answer.
Use time-out questions only in exceptional cases, when a quick answer is crucial. For example:
"How do you feel at this very moment?"
If the user doesn't answer quickly, the answer loses its value. That's when a time-out question makes sense.
3. When a New Dialogue Is Due While a Question Is Still Open
A new dialogue is due, but the user hasn't answered an open question in the current dialogue yet. There are two ways to handle this:
| Option | What happens |
|---|---|
| A: Allow interruption | The new dialogue interrupts the current one. The open question is deactivated. |
| B: Don't allow interruption | The new dialogue has to wait until the current one is completed. This creates a "queue". |
3.1 Best Practice: Use a Hierarchy System
To control interruptions, give each Micro Dialog a priority level. The basic rule:
A dialogue can only be interrupted by a dialogue with a higher priority, never by one with a lower priority.
This means:
- High-priority dialogues can interrupt low-priority ones.
- Low-priority dialogues cannot interrupt high-priority ones.
Don't forget: Also decide whether dialogues with the same priority can interrupt each other.
4. What Happens After an Interruption?
When a Micro Dialog has been interrupted, there are two ways to continue once the interrupting dialogue is completed.
4.1 Option 1: Reactivate the Open Question (standard)
How it works: The interrupted question is temporarily deactivated. Once the user has completed the interrupting dialogue (e.g., a new, more urgent question), the earlier question is reactivated. Use transitional phrases such as "Let's get back to our earlier discussion..." to reintroduce it smoothly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fits user needs well: users can answer all open questions at their own pace. | Requires more complex management of dialogue states. |
| Reduces frustration because users don't miss any questions. | Needs careful planning: too many interruptions can overwhelm and confuse users. |
4.2 Option 2: Delete the Open Question
How it works: The unanswered question is deleted as soon as a new, more relevant dialogue starts. Only the most timely and relevant content stays in focus.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Keeps the conversation focused and clear. | Users may be frustrated because they miss the chance to answer earlier questions. |
| Users may feel pressured to answer within a limited time. |
Use this option only in specific cases:
- when unanswered questions are no longer relevant once the new dialogue has started, or
- when dialogues follow a predictable, chronological order.