The Benefits and Challenges of Speech Recognition

Any company or individual seeking the most effective method for document creation has considered using speech recognition software.

Yet speech recognition software, like any other product, has limitations. With the help of the right type of service, it is possible to reap the benefits that this software offers while also ensuring textual accuracy.

Why Invest in Speech Recognition Tools?

Whether a client invests in their own speech recognition software for in-house use or turns to a third party that provides it, there are significant benefits to using this type of service. Those benefits may include:

• It’s faster. Since most people speak faster than they write, speech recognition software provides a simple way to get words into a document without having to be delayed in the process. This speed is what makes many people seek out its use. Typing, on the other hand, can slow down the communication process.

• It is fairly accurate. Although it should always be proofread, speech recognition software can result in a document more or less free of errors. In addition, newer programs tend to be well designed and can offer reliable results for some applications.

• It allows for hands-free work. When working with a client or completing a task, the use of speech recognition tools facilitates easy note taking, use of other materials, and professional eye contact. Each of these activities is limited when someone has to type information into a computer behind a screen.

While these benefits are compelling, there are also some limitations that users have to take into consideration as well.

The Challenges Speech Recognition Provides

As with any automated tool, there are limits to how well a product like this can work. Consider these typical concerns when using speech recognition tools.

• Accuracy is always imperfect. “More or less accurate” is not perfectly accurate. This is a very important factor to consider when choosing tools, especially for medical or legal needs. In these cases, accuracy is paramount. A client’s professional reputation hangs in part on how well they present themselves in writing.

• The software cannot understand complexities of jargon or phrasing. Every business sector has its own vocabulary and idioms, and if these are not part of standard English, the tool may not be successful in translating them to written format.

• Some voices don’t come across well. Speech recognition software may not be able to transliterate the words of those who speak quickly, run words together or have an accent. It also drops in accuracy when more than one speaker is present and being recorded.

There Are Solutions

Knowledgeable clients can combine the use of a professional transcription service such as Athreon with the use of speech recognition tools, to achieve the very best outcome for their documents. The use of speech recognition software can speed up the initial work, while a professional transcriptionist can handle accuracy concerns as well as overall details of the project.

Most jobs today require a combination of resources. At Athreon, we offer a sophisticated hybrid blend of Automated Speech Recognition technology supported by qualified medical, legal, and business transcriptionists, empowering every project to achieve true success.