AI Handoff

Intro

An AI handoff refers to a user’s transition between contextual embedded AI features and the Joule conversational panel. By providing a seamless transition, users get a unified AI experience that accelerates their workflows cohesively.

AI handoff between embedded AI feature and Joule

Usage

Do

  • Minimize disruptions in the user’s workflow.
  • Use smooth and seamless transitions.
  • Use flexible UI controls and visualizations.
  • Share context between Joule and embedded AI.
  • Set clear user expectations using clear CTA’s, entry points, and visual cues.
  • Leverage transitional micro-interactions and animations.
  • Provide clear system feedback.

Don't

  • Don’t upend the user’s expected workflow.
  • Don’t force users to enter Joule without warning.
  • Don’t use inconsistent transitions and visual cues.
  • Don’t hide AI markers.
  • Don’t hide loading or generating states.
  • Integrate AI into an existing workflow mindfully.
  • Test AI integration with actual users.
  • Provide opportunities for user feedback.
  • Consider visual hierarchy when placing AI features in existing app flows.

Best Practices

Depending on the use case, it may be best to start in either Joule or embedded AI features, or use exclusively one over the other.

Embedded AI Features
Joule
User Path
Follows the app’s structure: buttons, menus, fixed layouts
Removes UI constraints: allows users to navigate quickly to a desired destination or complete a task via the conversational panel
Scenarios
Quick approval, form autofill, inline hint, contextual validation
Multi-step planning, cross-module information retrieval, bulk actions, troubleshooting
Handoff Moment
When a task expands beyond the page/form, the user gets redirected to conversational AI
When a user finishes exploration, the results are handed back to embedded AI for execution
Strengths
Fast, focused, contextual help within the current flow
Flexible, open-ended, handles cross-module or unstructured tasks
Limitations
Bound to existing UI, not scalable for complex tasks
Requires context switching, limited access for non-premium users, may feel to broad without guidance, can interrupt flow if overused

Joule

Joule acts as a natural and open-ended assistant for the user. While it can be used as a quick search or convenient navigation tool, conversational Joule may also be a fit for use cases requiring bulk actions, breaking down complex tasks into actionable steps, or generating insights and summaries.

Common patterns for using Joule:

Entry point: Joule can provide general guidance for new users to an application or have general queries about how to get started.

Joule as an entry point

Insight tool: Joule can provide quick insights and summaries from data across multiple sources, reducing a user’s need to search for information on their own.

Comprehensive request handler: Joule can understand complex user needs and helps execute them through standard app workflows or custom solutions for unique tasks.

Joule as an insight tool (left) and a comprehensive request handler (right)

Proactive assistant: Joule can empower a user’s decision-making and preemptively recognize opportunities for optimization by providing prompts and suggestions.

One-stop shop: Joule can help complete cross-module tasks without leaving the Joule panel or execute bulk actions to reduce the need for repetitive manual edits.

Joule as a proactive assistant (left) and a one-stop shop (right)

Embedded AI

Embedded AI is best used for contextual, specific actions. Embedded AI features live within the application’s UI, providing a fast, focused opportunity to speed up or amplify a user's workflow.

Common patterns for using embedded AI:

Contextual helper: Embedded AI speeds up simple, specific, and targeted tasks within the user’s current workflow.

Insight generator: Embedded AI shows in-context recommendations, detects errors, and creates page summaries or analytics.

Embedded AI use cases

Examples

Handoff from Embedded AI to Joule

A handoff from embedded AI to Joule occurs when a user wants to expand their current task. This transition to Joule provides users with additional insights, suggestions, actionable items, or the ability to resolve issues using natural language queries without leaving their workflow.

Use case: leveraging Joule to enhance embedded AI summary

A user taps an embedded AI “Summary” button within their work order to create an AI-generated summary of the current work order status, history, requirements, and future action items. While the summary is generated within the current screen, the user wants to know more about future action items. They open Joule and ask for clarifying information about the action items.

Interaction flow for opening Joule through “Summary” AI button

Use case: providing actionable prompts and suggestions within Joule based on the user’s current context

A user is in their workflow analyzing a potential sales lead. Using an embedded AI “Account Synopsis” button within their current UI, they generate an AI Insights view that sums up the company’s past contacts with the lead and predicts the potential for a future deal. Opening Joule, the user asks for recommended next steps. Joule provides several suggestions and actionable prompts, including a sample email draft to the lead’s most promising point of contact.

Interaction flow for consulting Joule after creating an embedded AI-generated synopsis

Handoff from Joule to Embedded AI

A handoff from Joule to embedded AI directs the user to the relevant destination outside of Joule for tasks that require direct user input or review, such as editing or submitting a form, or when a user would benefit from working contextually rather than within the Joule panel, such as within a data table.

Use case: editing a Joule-initiated form using embedded AI features

A user opens Joule and, upon reviewing their tasks for the day, decides to start filling out their goal form first. They ask Joule to fill out their form based on a short goal description, their previous work history, and their team’s OKR’s. Joule provides a link to the user to navigate to their generated goal form, advising them to review all the fields before submission. Upon review, the user realizes they need to adjust a few fields. They tap each field to use an embedded AI feature, the AI writing assistant, to edit and refine the content.

Interaction flow of creating a goal using Joule and editing it with embedded AI writing assistant

Resources

SAP Fiori for Android: AI Handoff