Real conversations about chatbot design
Straight answers from people who actually build these things every day.
Talking with Daryna Klymenko, UX designer at Jaslemo
Question
What's the one thing most people get wrong when they start designing a chatbot?
Daryna
They think it's about writing clever responses. It's not. It's about knowing when to shut up and let the user move forward. A chatbot that talks too much is worse than no chatbot at all.
Question
How do you decide what a chatbot should actually do?
Daryna
Look at support tickets. The questions that come up again and again, those are your starting point. If people ask the same thing twelve times a week, that's what the bot handles first. Everything else can wait.
Core principles that actually matter
Response structure
- Keep initial replies under two sentences
- Offer clear next steps immediately
- Never apologize unless something broke
- Use buttons instead of typing when possible
Error handling
- Show what went wrong without tech jargon
- Provide alternative paths forward
- Escalate to human after two failed attempts
- Remember context when conversation resumes
Conversation flow
- Ask one question at a time
- Confirm before taking irreversible actions
- Let users go back and change answers
- End conversations clearly, not abruptly
Visual design
- Distinguish bot messages from user messages
- Show typing indicators for responses over one second
- Make buttons look clickable with proper spacing
- Keep chat history visible while scrolling
Daryna Klymenko
UX Designer, Jaslemo
I've been designing conversational interfaces for four years now. Started with customer service bots, moved into more complex diagnostic tools. The work is less about making things pretty and more about making sure people don't get stuck.
18
Projects delivered
4
Years in UX
6
Industries covered