Adding questions to a conversation

To specify how Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) collects information about a case from users, configure standard questions for the related data fields in the case type. This ensures that an IVA intelligently interacts with a Pega Platform application in a conversational manner by updating properties of a case type based user responses. When a case starts during a user interaction with an IVA, the system automatically asks questions about the case type.
Before you begin: Add an IVA conversational channel to a case type process. For more information, Adding a conversational channel to a case type process.
  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. Click the first step in the parallel process for the IVA, and then, in the property panel, click Configure conversation.
  4. In the conversation for the channel product information window, add data fields to the conversation by clicking Add question.
  5. 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.
  6. 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?
  7. Add, delete, or reorder the questions to further configure the conversation flow in the IVA.
  8. Optional: To define conditions that determine the flow of the conversation, specify the validation criteria:
    1. In the conversation for the channel product information window, select a question for which you want to define a condition.
    2. In the Show list, select When, and then click Edit.
    3. In the Field list, select the name of a field that supports validation.
    4. 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.
    5. In the Value field, enter a value that you want to compare with the user input.
    6. 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 8.c through 8.e for another condition.
    7. Click OK.
      Result:  An icon to the left of the question indicates that the question depends on a when rule.
    For example: If you have a field of Boolean type, the true option displays the next question, while the false option skips the next question at run time.
  9. Click Done.
  10. Optional: To configure advanced options, update the underlying flow for the conversation:
    1. On the Workflow tab, click the first step in the conversation or step 1 in the parallel process.
    2. In the property panel, open the flow diagram for the conversation by clicking Open process.
    3. Adjust the conversation flow to your needs by making the necessary changes.
  11. Click Save.