Chatbot Version Comparison via Record-and-Play Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for testing chatbots are complex and inefficient, often requiring extensive knowledge of chatbot inner functionality and programming logic, and involve duplicate code in establishing connections and verifying conversation outcomes.
Innovation Solution
An application-level record-and-play approach to chatbot testing, where a conversation between a user and a chatbot is modeled, converted into a tag-based conversation file, and used to create test cases for different versions of the chatbot or application, allowing for easy creation of test cases without deep knowledge of chatbot internals and reducing implementation complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional chatbot testing methods are used, then testing can be performed, but the complexity of implementation increases and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the chatbot conversation in the form of a conversation file that records the essential interaction flow without requiring knowledge of the underlying programming logic. This copy can be used for testing different chatbot versions, eliminating the need to replicate complex testing setups for each version while maintaining testing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a messaging application as an intermediary layer between the tester and the chatbot system. This intermediary handles the complex communication protocols and connection establishment automatically, allowing testers to interact with chatbots through simple message exchange without dealing with the underlying technical complexity of chatbot architecture and programming logic
2Reliability
If traditional chatbot testing methods are used, then testing can be performed, but the ease of operation decreases due to requiring extensive knowledge of chatbot internals
Solution Approach 1:
The conversation file serves as a simplified representation that captures the essential testing scenarios without requiring testers to understand chatbot internal workings. The file stores conversation flow, user inputs, and expected outcomes in a human-readable format that can be created and modified by anyone with basic knowledge of chatbot interactions
Solution Approach 2:
The messaging application serves multiple functions: it acts as the test execution environment, the communication interface, and the result verification system. This universal platform handles connection establishment, message routing, and outcome verification automatically, making test case creation accessible to users without specialized chatbot programming knowledge while ensuring test validity
Data Source
AI summary
According to an example, a system may receive a conversation with a first chatbot version through a messaging application, generate a first conversation file from the conversation, execute the first conversation file with a second chatbot version to generate a second conversation file, and compare the first conversation file with the second conversation file.


