talk-buddy

Creating Scenarios

Learn how to design and build custom conversation scenarios in Talk Buddy. This guide covers the complete process from initial concept to testing your finished scenario.

Before You Start

Planning Your Scenario

Define Your Learning Goals

Ask yourself:

Choose Your Context

Select Difficulty Level

Step-by-Step Creation Process

Step 1: Access the Scenario Builder

  1. Open Talk Buddy
  2. Click “Scenarios” in the sidebar
  3. Click “Create New Scenario” or the “+” button
  4. Choose “Create from Scratch” (vs. importing)

Step 2: Basic Information

Scenario Details

Fill out the essential information:

Name (Required)

Description (Required)

Category (Optional but Recommended)

Difficulty Level (Required)

Estimated Duration (Required)

Step 3: AI Character Design

System Prompt (The Heart of Your Scenario)

This defines how the AI behaves. Include:

Character Role and Context

Example: "You are a senior marketing director interviewing candidates for a Marketing Manager position at a growing tech company."

Personality and Approach

Example: "Be professional but friendly. Show genuine interest in the candidate's experience and ask follow-up questions that probe for specific examples and strategic thinking."

Conversation Goals

Example: "Focus on marketing strategy experience, team leadership skills, and campaign results. The interview should cover 4-5 main topics over 10-15 minutes."

Behavioral Guidelines

Example: "If the candidate seems nervous, be encouraging. If they give vague answers, ask for specific examples. Maintain a professional but welcoming tone throughout."

Complete System Prompt Example

You are a senior marketing director interviewing candidates for a Marketing Manager position at a growing tech company. Be professional but friendly, showing genuine interest in the candidate's experience. Ask follow-up questions that probe for specific examples of past successes and strategic thinking. 

Focus on their marketing strategy experience, team leadership skills, and measurable campaign results. If the candidate seems nervous, be encouraging. If they give vague answers, ask for specific examples and quantifiable outcomes. The interview should naturally cover 4-5 main topics over 10-15 minutes. Conclude when you feel you have a good understanding of their capabilities.

Step 4: Initial Message

Crafting the Opening

The initial message should:

Examples by Context

Professional Interview

"Good morning! Thank you for your interest in our Marketing Manager position. I've reviewed your resume and I'm excited to learn more about your background. Could you start by telling me what draws you to this role and our company?"

Customer Service

"Hi, I need help with returning a product I ordered last week. It's not what I expected and I'd like to get a refund or exchange. Can you help me with that?"

Academic Discussion

"Thanks for staying after class to discuss your research proposal. You've chosen an interesting topic, but I think we need to talk about narrowing the scope to make it manageable for a semester project. What specific aspect interests you most?"

Technical Explanation

"I appreciate you taking time to explain this new system implementation. As someone from the business side, I need to understand how this will affect our daily operations and what training my team will need. Can you walk me through the key changes?"

Step 5: Additional Settings

Add relevant tags to help users find your scenario:

Example tags: ["interview", "marketing", "professional", "intermediate"]

Voice Selection

Visibility Settings

Step 6: Testing and Refinement

Initial Testing

  1. Save your scenario as a draft
  2. Test it yourself: Run through the conversation
  3. Check timing: Is your estimate accurate?
  4. Evaluate flow: Does the conversation develop naturally?

Refinement Process

Common issues to address:

AI Too Rigid

Conversation Too Short/Long

Unclear Objectives

Inappropriate Difficulty

Testing with Others

Advanced Scenario Features

Multi-Phase Scenarios

Creating Progressive Conversations

Design scenarios that evolve through stages:

  1. Introduction phase: Getting acquainted, setting context
  2. Development phase: Main content, skill practice
  3. Challenge phase: Complications or deeper exploration
  4. Resolution phase: Conclusions, next steps

Implementation Tips

Use system prompt language like:

"Begin with introductory small talk, then transition to discussing the main project challenges. If the user demonstrates good problem-solving skills, introduce a budget constraint complication. Conclude by discussing next steps and timeline."

Adaptive Difficulty

Responsive AI Behavior

Create scenarios that adjust to user performance:

"If the user gives confident, detailed answers, ask more challenging follow-up questions. If they seem to struggle, provide gentle prompts and encouragement. Match your complexity level to their demonstrated expertise."

Cultural and Professional Context

Industry-Specific Scenarios

For specialized fields:

Cross-Cultural Considerations

Quality Assurance

Pre-Publication Checklist

Content Quality

Technical Quality

Accessibility

Common Issues and Solutions

Problem: AI Doesn’t Stay in Character

Symptoms: AI breaks role, gives inconsistent responses Solutions:

Problem: Conversation Feels Scripted

Symptoms: Predictable responses, unnatural flow Solutions:

Problem: Difficulty Level Mismatch

Symptoms: Too easy for advanced users, too hard for beginners Solutions:

Problem: Poor Learning Value

Symptoms: Users don’t feel they practiced useful skills Solutions:

Sharing and Distribution

Exporting Your Scenario

Individual Scenario Export

  1. Go to Scenarios page
  2. Find your scenario
  3. Click export/share option
  4. Save JSON file with descriptive name

Including in Practice Packs

Distribution Best Practices

File Naming

Use clear, descriptive names:

Documentation

Include brief instructions for users:

Quick Reference

Essential Elements Checklist

Quality Indicators

Testing Process

  1. Self-test: Complete the scenario yourself
  2. Time check: Verify duration estimate
  3. Peer review: Get feedback from others
  4. Iterate: Refine based on testing results

Creating effective scenarios takes practice, but the impact on learners makes it worthwhile. Start simple, test thoroughly, and refine based on feedback! 🎯

Next Steps: