Ask me anything!
Large Language Models have significantly changed the way we search for and consume information. Above all, we want it to be quick and accurate. This development has also redefined customers’ expectations in terms of communication, leading more and more companies to use AI-powered chatbots on their websites and in their apps to convey complex content efficiently and in a way that is tailored to their target audience.
- Learning Agency: Ask me anything!
- Winter Semester 2024/25, 3rd semester
- Prof. Dr Sebastian Pranz, Paul Heß
Design of a dialogue application for the Federal Agency for Civic Education
Together with the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb), we took on the challenge of developing innovative dialogue applications to assist citizens with their enquiries, whether via the citizen helpline or as a standalone app. The aim was to make the bpb’s content even more accessible and to reach a younger target audience.
Our task was to bring the bpb’s existing content to life in the form of dialogues. To this end, we first analysed relevant target groups such as school pupils, first-time voters and students, and identified their specific needs. On this basis, we developed various prototypes using Voiceflow, tested them with potential users and analysed the feedback.
Over the course of the project, four different chatbot concepts were developed, which bring political and social issues to life in a new way. Each group developed its own approach, ranging from playful simulations and practical everyday advice to interactive party comparisons.
The four chatbots
“Yeah, yeah… Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells, but who’s going to explain to me how to get my life sorted after school?”
Toni: Master your Life
You’ve only just left school and you’re already facing the realities of adult life: finding a flat, applying for BAföG, a study programme, your first job, tax returns… pure despair. Years of school, and no one ever thought to explain to us how to get by in life.
The aim of the “Master Your Life” app was to develop a solution that makes the transition to independent living easier for young adults, whilst also drawing attention to the resources provided by the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
The chatbot “Toni – Master Your Life” is designed as a standalone app to help users navigate everyday life with greater confidence and self-assurance. It offers help in key areas of life such as politics, education, finance, finding accommodation, administrative matters, law, pension provision, insurance, healthcare, starting a career, leisure and social engagement. A special feature is that users can upload documents directly to the chatbot. These are automatically sorted and saved, enabling the bot to answer specific questions about documents, such as a tenancy agreement. An integrated calendar also ensures that no important dates or deadlines are forgotten.
Right from the start, the chatbot is tailored to people’s individual needs. To begin with, people complete a short questionnaire about their interests, goals and personal preferences. This enables the chatbot to get to know people and regularly provide personalised information and recommendations, such as daily or weekly push notifications on relevant topics and articles from the bpb. In addition, the bot regularly asks about new interests or changes in the people’s lives to ensure it always offers tailored support.
In this way, ‘Toni’ can become a reliable companion who helps you tackle the challenges of everyday life whilst also imparting knowledge by drawing on bpb content or providing targeted links to its articles.
You can try out the bot for yourself here: Toni – Master your Life
“Fancy a game?”
Politomat: Simulation Project
Politics can often seem abstract and difficult to understand, especially for people who aren’t actively involved in it. That’s exactly what we wanted to change. Our project, the chatbot ‘Politomat’, brings political decision-making processes to life – in an interactive, exciting and realistic way. In a dialogue-based simulation, players take on key political roles such as Chancellor, Foreign Secretary or Chancellor of the Exchequer and experience first-hand the impact of their decisions. Our aim was to make politics not only more understandable, but also something you can experience for yourself.
A particular priority was to get even those who have previously had little engagement with politics excited about it. How can we spark the interest of people who believe politics is boring or irrelevant to their own lives? Our answer: gamification! Playful elements make learning more exciting and create an emotional connection to complex topics. Through fictional yet realistic scenarios – such as an economic crisis, fake news or a pandemic – we were able to demonstrate just how difficult it is to make political decisions.
Of course, the journey wasn’t always easy. The design phase in particular presented us with challenges, as we were unable to find technical solutions for all the requirements we had set ourselves. Nevertheless, we found creative ways to make the simulation engaging. In future, the project could be expanded to include interactive videos and audio files, both to improve the presentation and to enhance accessibility. This would make the simulation accessible to an even wider audience.
Our conclusion? Despite all the challenges, the project was an incredibly exciting experience. Politics can be interesting and accessible. With the right methods, such as gamification, we can spark an interest in political processes and show that every decision counts.
You can try out the bot for yourself here: Politomat: Simulation Game Bot
“404 Error: Information Overload – Political topics explained simply!”
Smarty: The info and news bot
Nowadays, it is more important than ever to raise people’s awareness of political issues and provide them with easy access to relevant information. The information and news bot “Smarty” pursues precisely this aim: it explains political and social issues in a way that reaches even those who have previously had little or no access to political content. By integrating the bot into users’ everyday lives, we create a low-threshold way to engage with politics whilst breaking down barriers.
Smarty uses the latest news stories to draw attention to political issues and explains them in an accessible way. In doing so, the bot not only presents the latest developments but also highlights the political positions of the relevant parties, thereby providing users with both information and context. In this way, politics becomes accessible and understandable for all.
For the bot’s prototype, we decided to focus on the latest news and emotionally relevant issues that directly affect the everyday lives of many people. The focus is on environmental and climate protection, health policy, as well as social justice and inequality. These topics are not only highly topical but also directly affect users’ daily lives. The aim is to explain complex political issues in an understandable way, thereby making political content more accessible.
You can try out the bot for yourself here: Smarty: The Info and News Bot
“Speed-dating with the political parties – what do they really think?”
The Frag-O-Mat
The Question-O-Mat, as the name suggests, is modelled on the Wahl-O-Mat. But unlike the Wahl-O-Mat, our bot doesn’t tell you which party suits you best; instead, it shows you what the parties really think or plan to do. After a brief welcome, you’ll immediately have the chance to bring up any topic that springs to mind. In the example image, the topic of climate change is used. You’ll then be asked which party you’d like to receive information from on the chosen topic – in this case, climate change. You can now select a party, but regardless of your choice, you can of course view the views of all the other parties later on.
Before you start, you’ll be asked whether you’re familiar with the party you’ve chosen. If not, a short text prepared by us, along with the party’s logo, will be displayed. Our aim here is to encourage you to also seek information from parties you may not be so familiar with or which are less in the media spotlight.
Once that’s done, the real ‘magic’ begins: the bot will give you a short and concise answer to your question. You also have the option to request a more detailed response. It’s important to note that the bot doesn’t simply generate its answers using AI, so there’s no risk of misinformation arising from, for example, the AI ‘hallucinating’. Instead, our chatbot draws on a knowledge base that we have populated with the latest party manifestos for the 2025 federal election. This allows us not only to guarantee the accuracy of the information, but also to verify genuine sources. Thanks to our Chatloop, you can then either view the positions of other parties on the topic you’ve already selected or choose a completely new topic.
You can test the bot for yourself here: Frag-O-Mat
A trip to Bonn
A particular highlight of the project was our trip to Bonn, where we had the opportunity to present our findings to the bpb, receive valuable feedback and engage in fascinating discussions. The four chatbots we developed offer a variety of approaches to engage different target groups and make it easier for them to access political information, whether through playful simulations, practical advice for everyday life or interactive party comparisons. The project illustrates how modern AI-powered dialogue tools can make political learning more engaging, personalised and effective.