Nodes
Call Trees are built from of individual, connected Nodes. Each Node represents a single step of a phone call.
A phone call starts at the first step, the Answer_Phone Node, and then is passed step-by-step to other Nodes. The call continues until reaching a point where there are no further Nodes - these points are referred to as "terminal Nodes".
Every Node has three major components:
- A question to be posed to the caller at the Node (optional - Nodes are not required to have questions).
- A template of defined responses that are expected at the Node (optional).
- A VBScript Macro that is executed at the Node (optional).
Nodes that have a question are referred to as "Question Nodes"; those that do not have questions are referred to as "Action Nodes".
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives for this chapter are separated by section. After completing this chapter, you should:
Items covered in "Visual Depiction of Nodes":
- Understand how a Node represents a single step in a phone call.
- Recognize the different types of Nodes shown in the Call Tree window.
- Recognize repeating Nodes and looping behavior in a Call Tree as shown by the "...continues" placeholders.
- Understand that the Call Tree display may not show all possible call paths because of branching that takes place in VBScript Macros at Nodes.
Items covered in "Components of a Node and How They are Processed":
- Recognize the three major components of a Node.
- Understand the order in which the three components are processed when a call reaches a Node and how they affect call flow when the call leaves the Node.
Items covered in "Creating, Modifying, and Deleting Nodes":
- Generally understand the procedures for creating, modifying, and deleting Nodes (details come later).
Items covered in "Using the Edit Node Window":
- Know how to show the Edit Node window for any Node.
- Recognize the four major sections of the Edit Node window.
Items covered in "Edit Node Window: Question Tab":
- Know the effect of not asking a question at a Node.
- Know where to define the questions that are posed to a caller.
- Know how to specify pre-recorded audio prompts for questions.
- Know how to specify dynamically generated question prompts.
Items covered in "Edit Node Window: Responses Tab":
- Know where to specify the responses that are understood at a Node.
- Know how to create, modify, and delete Nodes and responses by using the Responses tab.
- Know how to create looping behavior in a Call Tree.
- Know that lists of word/phrase based responses invoke speech recognition.
- Understand that specialized response templates must be used to accept touch tone responses.
- Understand the types of specialized response templates that exist: pay particular attention to <TouchTone>, <TouchTonesEndWith*#>, <Digits##>, and <YesNo> as these are commonly used.
- Know the types of phrase templates that are available to use with speech recognition.
Items covered in "Edit Node Window: VBScript Macro Tab":
- Know where to specify the Macro and the header used to test the Macro.
- Know the reason a header is used to test the Macro.
- Know how to build a header automatically and how to test-run the Macro.
- Know how to change the font size.
Items covered in "Edit Node Window: Advanced Tab":
- Understand when and how to change voices at a Node.
- Understand that the default behavior when a response is not given is to disconnect the call, and how and when to override that default behavior.
- Understand when and how to extend the time-out interval at a Node.
