Decision trees

A decision tree is a tool that uses a branching method to show every possible outcome of a decision based on certain conditions. It represents a series of decisions and results in a tree-like model.

For chatbots and conversational AI, decision trees map out the different paths a conversation can take based on what the user says or selects. They define how the chatbot should respond to various questions or statements.

For example, a simple decision tree for a customer service chatbot might look like:

"How can I help you today?"

• If user says "billing issue" -> Go to billing support flow
• If user says "product question" -> Go to product info flow
• If user says "something else" -> Ask for clarification

Each user response leads the chatbot down a specific branch of the decision tree to provide an appropriate response.

Decision trees allow chatbots to handle multiple conversation routes in a structured way. They provide a plan for anticipating what users might say and guiding dialogues, while still being flexible.

More advanced chatbots may use decision trees along with other AI to better understand context. But decision trees remain an important way to map out the logic for chatbot conversations.

Tags: Chatbots