Choose The Right Response Format
Match each tool to a widget that makes answers easy to scan and act on.
Widgets determine how the assistant’s answer appears in chat. Choosing the right widget is not decoration. It changes whether the result feels clear, credible, and actionable.
Widget Decision Guide
| If the user needs to... | Start with... | Why |
|---|---|---|
| browse a small set of options | Product Card or Product Carousel | visual scanning is faster than reading a paragraph |
| compare options side by side | Data Table | comparison needs structure |
| understand an explanation | Markdown or Accordion | long-form answers stay readable |
| submit structured details | Form or Multi-Step Form | the assistant can gather the next inputs cleanly |
| confirm a simple next step | Confirmation | reduces friction for yes or no decisions |
| review a metric or trend | Metric Card, Bar Chart, or Line Chart | quantitative answers are easier to trust visually |
Choose Based On The Conversation Moment
Discovery
Use browsing widgets when the user is still exploring:
- Product Card
- Product Carousel
- Link List
These work well for product selection, asset discovery, and guided browsing.
Understanding
Use explanation widgets when the user needs clarity:
- Markdown
- Accordion
- Info Card
These work well for FAQs, plan explanations, onboarding guidance, and help content.
Decision And Input
Use structured input widgets when the assistant should move the conversation forward:
- Form
- Multi-Step Form
- Confirmation
These work well for lead capture, qualification, booking, and handoff flows.
Reporting And Proof
Use data display widgets when the answer should feel measurable:
- Data Table
- Metric Card
- Bar Chart
- Line Chart
- Pie Chart
These work well for campaign reporting, usage summaries, and internal performance views.
Pick The Simplest Widget That Fits
A polished app usually uses fewer widget types than you expect. Overusing rich components can make the experience feel busy and inconsistent.
Start with the simplest format that helps the user:
- choose a card before a carousel if only one or two items matter
- choose markdown before a table if the answer is narrative
- choose a confirmation before a form if the only decision is yes or no
How Widgets Connect To Data
Each widget maps API response fields to visible properties in the builder. That means the best widgets are the ones that match the natural shape of your data.
If you have to force-fit the data into a widget, choose a different widget or split the tool into a more focused action.
Before You Publish
- the widget helps the user make the next decision quickly
- the output stays scannable on the first read
- the same tool returns a consistent shape across common prompts
- the response still feels useful when the AI adds a short written summary