USABILITY AND UX IN THE DIGITAL CUSTOMER SERVICE OF AN ELECTRIC UTILITY

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the research and development efforts of a digital transformation project that aims at improving the user experience (UX) during interactions with a chatbot. The efforts bring together innovative principles and methods in usability and UX to apply them in the structuring of the conversation flow of two digital attendance services: one for requests for new electrical power connections and another for requesting electrical power reactivation. The interaction with those requesting the service will be carried out via WhatsApp by the personified virtual assistant “Clara”. These are services that require complex sequences of information for the purpose of registering the customer and the location that will receive the energy. Such characteristics pose usability challenges so that the exchange of information with the virtual assistant can be effective, fast, and minimally difficult, considering the sociocultural and digital context of the people who will interact with Clara, the business rules and the technological legacy of the energy distribution utility, as well as the digital interface characteristics.