Creating the New Bose Voice

Team & Role

Team included: Me and my manager

My role: Lead designer

TL;DR

Through reduction and redesigning of our audio design language across all headphones, earbuds, and portable Bluetooth speakers, I was able to save Bose $4 million annually, reduce the number of voice prompts by 70%, and using AI tools, developed the new voice of Bose.

Problem to Solve

In an effort to save money, it was asked of me to design a new on product behavior without the need of a talk to speech engine. This gave us an opportunity to update the on-product audio design language to reflect the evolved Bose brand identity.

Initial Work

  1. Review existing list of all voice prompts across all headphones, earbuds, and portable Bluetooth speakers (about 150 individual prompts).

  2. Identify all scenarios where a task / interaction could be completed without a voice prompt.

  3. Develop a proposal to replace each voice prompt with either a new pre recorded prompt, a tone, or visual LED feedback with an aspirational target to reduce voice prompts by 50%.

Brainstorming

:Phase 1 is complete: we’ve reimagined our library of on-product

tones to better reflect the modern Bose brand and have a full

new suite of tones.

We’re now in Phase 2, where we’re focused on two key initiatives:

Selecting a new voice for voice prompts—one that embodies

the tone, warmth, and character of the Bose brand. See

PFL-2054 for more info.

Streamlining on-product feedback by using voice prompts

only when they add clear value, ensuring a more intentional

and elegant user experience.