#1 | Cheryl Platz | Driving future interfaces, from Amazon Alexa to Microsoft Azure

“It’s not always about doing completely new things, it’s about doing things in a way that’s better for you in the moment.”

Cheryl on the Alexa design process and the importance of empathy, inclusive design and multimodality in interaction design.

We talk with Cheryl Platz, a pioneer in the area of AI-driven Voice User Interface Design and one of the first designer on the Amazon Echo System. We talk about the design process of designing the very first interactive voice experiences. Furthermore we learn about her experiences at Microsoft where she worked on both B2C and B2B solutions: Ranging from the Azure Product to AI in-car systems. These days she is driving positive change and impact through design as a Principal Designer at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition she is also running her own design consulting venture Ideaplatz, takes roles as an Actor and speaks at conferences around the world.

The conversation happened before Cheryl left Microsoft and joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.