Adding a conversation to a case type

To automate how Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) collects information for an open case, add a conversation to a case type. This feature simplifies the configuration process of an IVA and ensures that the system only requests the correct case type information from the user in a quick and conversational manner. For example, for an open case related to a request for a car insurance quote, an IVA during user interaction, asks questions about a car model, car make, year of production of the car, and then automatically stores the answers in the properties of a case. You configure the conversation workflow as part of the case life cycle. As a result, the system automatically responds to chat messages or voice commands that contain information about a case.
Before you begin: Create and configure an IVA channel. For more information, see Creating a conversational channel.
  1. In the navigation pane of Dev Studio, click Case types, and then click the case type that you want to open.
  2. On the Workflow tab, click Life cycle.
  3. Add a conversational channel to a case type process:
    1. In the header of the stage to which you want to add a conversational channel, click More > Add channel process > Channel name or if you want to add a conversational channel to the Create stage, click More > Add create process > Channel name.
      Result: A parallel process for the IVA channel is added to the stage.
    2. On the Workflow tab, click the parallel process for the IVA channel.
    3. Optional: To define the conditions that control when the conversation begins, on the General tab of the property panel, in the Start Process list, select When Rule.
    4. In the field below the Start Process list, enter or select a when rule that determines when the conversation in the IVA starts.
    5. Click Save.
    For more information, see Adding a conversational channel to a case type process.
  4. Add questions to the new conversation for the case type:
    1. Click the first step in the parallel process for the IVA, and then, in the property panel, click Configure conversation.
    2. In the conversation for the channel product information window, add data fields to the conversation by clicking Add question.
    3. In the dialog window, in your data model, select the fields that you want to use to collect information from users, and then click Apply.
      For example: If the primary stage has a form that asks for the customer name, car make and model, and car insurance policy number, configure the same fields for the conversational channel.
    4. In the dialog box with a list of fields, enter a question for each field.
      For example: For the Car model field, enter: What is the model of the car?
    5. Add, delete, or reorder the questions to further configure the conversation flow in the IVA.
    6. In the conversation for the channel product information window, select a question for which you want to define a condition.
      To define conditions that determine the flow of the conversation, you specify the validation criteria.
    7. In the Show list, select When, and then click Edit.
    8. In the Field list, select the name of a field that supports validation.
    9. In the Comparator list, select a comparator.
      For example: To compare to see if the field is same as the value, select is equals to.
    10. In the Value field, enter a value that you want to compare with the user input.
    11. Optional: To use another property in the expression, click the Add icon next to the field after which you want to add the expression, and then repeat steps 4.h through 4.j for another condition.
    12. Click OK.
      Result:  An icon to the left of the question indicates that the question depends on a when rule.
    13. Click Done.
    14. To update the underlying flow for the conversation, on the Workflow tab, click the first step in the conversation or step 1 in the parallel process.
    15. In the property panel, open the flow diagram for the conversation by clicking Open process.
    16. Adjust the conversation flow to your needs by making the necessary changes.
    17. Click Save.
    For more information, see Adding questions to a conversation.
Result: At run time, in an interaction with an IVA and the selected application, the user answers a series of questions to provide case information.
What to do next: Add case commands to the IVA. For more information, see Adding case commands for a conversational channel.