I have been thinking to prepare a list of RAD(Rapid Application Development) tools for developing IVR software or voice applications for long time. I have found 8 RAD tools ( including one free tool) for developing IVR Application so far and I think there may be more as I am quite sure, many IVR RAD Tool companies do not use SEO techniques to rank high in search engines! Or may be, Google does not know everything on net, after all.

I have tested only one among this list of 8 tools, VBVoice 5.6.1 of PRONEXUS, and I must admit, I am impressed with how they have made developing IVR software easy and quick! And I am sure pride of many people will be dented as who were member of exclusive and minority group of IVR developer using native API of CTI boards, including myself. I hope to download evaluation version of all the tools one day and compare all of them.

I would say, not all in this list of eight RAD Tools for developing IVR software may qualify to be called complete rapid application development tools, and here is the list:-

1. VBVoice 5.6.1 from PRONEXUS INC:-
I think this is the biggest RAD tool for IVR Software development. Very powerful, easy to use tool that uses industry standard programming environment like .NET technology. It has support for large speech and telephony technologies like ACD, SIP, HMP, MRCP, ASR, TTS and VoIP. If anyone knows VB.NET, C# then with this VBVoice 5.6.1, he can become an IVR Application developer overnight. They support high end CTI boards of Dialogic as well as other CTI boards from vendors like Donjin.

2. VoiceGuide by Katalina Technologies
Another powerful RAD tool for developing IVR. It has its own script and visual editor to write IVR Call flow. It has support for Microsoft SAPI. I feel this is a good tool to start with IVR application. They claim to have more than 5000 clients in their website.

3. Envox 7 from Envox Group
This is another big RAD tools for not only IVR Application, but for many more! It supports IP Telephony, Video Messaging and SMS! One of the key feature of this tool is support for VoiceXML, CCXML and Web Services. It has its own graphical programming environment Envox Studio. It gives good flexibility for developers to develop wide range of voice and IVR applications, most probably ideal for call center solutions. Supports wide range of CTI hardware.

4. Velocity 2.0 by Glorsoft Limited
New kid on the block! “Velocity™ is a completely new technology created by .NET developers for .NET developers.”, It is a new tool, but looks very promising. They support wide range of Dialogic CTI Boards. They have already got prestigious client like London Underground.

5. Xtend IVR 3.0 by Xtend Technologies (P) Ltd
Indian competitor in the field of IVR RAD development tool. This toolkit can be used in various programming languages like VB,VC++, C# etc. They also support speech technologies as well as CTI boards from multiple vendors. They also have a large clientele in India. Free tool for one channel IVR can be downloaded from their website.

6. CT Developer Studio 2 by Pingram Software
CT Developer Studio 2 is a Windows software that helps you quickly implement a professional voice response system into your business. Developing IVR solutions is easy with Visual IVR Script Designer and the many ready-to-use samples supplied with the product. They have their own script, visual script programming environment and simulator. They support Ai-LOgix, NMS and Dialogic boards.

7. Eurovoice objects version 2.0 by Eurovoice Ltd.
They provide COM interface to VB6, VB.net and C# programs for voice or IVR functionality. They mainly support PIKA CTI boards. But they also support PCI express boards from Dalogic. They have speech recognition through MRCP.

8. AGE (Application Generation Environment) version 2.1. by CompTek Internations
AGE is the fastest and easiest way to build voice applications. Best part is, it is completely free, but they charge you for runtime components. It supports Dialogic Voice boards. I think it may not be suitable for large IVR Applications.

I think I would give my top two ranks to VBVoice, Envox 7. Velocity 2.0 is the product to watch out for.

Though I have previously written about tools for developing IVR software as well as standardised VoiceXML based IVR Software, I was always thinking about writing rapid application development tools for developing simple to complex and large IVR software available in the market presently.

What is Rapid Application Development Tools for IVR Software ?
These are the tools like a Microsoft Visual Studio used for rapidly developing IVR Software as per IVR call flow. While Microsoft Visual Studio is very vast and supports many kind of applications, RAD for IVR Software deals only with IVR Software or IVR kind of voice application. For example, Auto Dialer, Voice Mail, Auto Attendant etc.
Normally they have beautiful GUI ( Graphics User Interface) for implementing IVR Call flow with graphical tools for controlling CTI board related and Voice Related functions. They provide visual tools implementing IVR Call Flow with minimum requirement of actual coding.
They use their own scripting for IVR Application with own syntax or syntax of standard computer programming language like basic, C. Some even provide controls (pre-compiled executable API code for specific function, can be used as it is) to be used standard Software Development Environment like .NET, Visual Basic etc.

I think there is a scope for comparing three ways to develop IVR Software or any Voice Applications as a whole. The three ways to develop IVR Software are:
1. Legacy IVR Software using native API of CTI boards using C++
2. Using open standard VoiceXML
3. Using Rapid Application Development Tools like VBVoice

In my last post about about Legacy IVRS and VoiceXML IVRS, I tried to compare pros and cons between first two in the above list. Here I would like to mention few benefits of using RAD tools for developing IVR Software.

1. One can rapidly develop IVR Software as the name suggests. The developer does not have to worry about CTI Board related functions as they are already built-in the RAD tools, tried and tested with many CTI Boards.
2. Short learning curve for developing IVR Software. As RAD tools use very simple, easy human kind of language as well as visual tools, it becomes very easy for anyone to develop IVR Software quickly.
3. Support Multiple CTI Boards. This may be one of the major advantages for using RAD tools. As RAD tools provide support for CTI boards from multiple vendors, the developer need not re-develop his IVR Application from scratch while changing CTI Cards.
4. Development Support. RAD Tools providers good support in developing the IVR Software and it comes handy as C++ developer may get stuck somewhere and nowhere to turn for help, but himself.
5. The IVR and other voice applications are getting more and more complex day by day. So, RAD tools gives an IVR Developers option to concentrate more on the call flow and IVR usability aspects than spending time on CTI board interfacing.

As I belong to old school of development, I always advocate use of good old C++ for writing stable, robust and working round the clock software. And I feel RAD Tools may not be suitable for large, complex and enterprise IVR or Voice Applications.

But recently I had tested one RAD tool for developing IVR Application, namely VBVoice 5.6.1 from PRONEXUS INC. I hope to write about this and comparing it with other RAD tools in near future.