With the advent of Alexa Blueprints, you can now create personalized skills—no coding required. Unlike regular Alexa skills, you don’t need experience developing or managing software to use a Blueprint. They stay private to your Alexa devices, so feel free to include as much detail as you like when using Blueprints.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps necessary to create your own skills that act as your home’s virtual instruction manual for any guests you might have.
1. The Houseguest Blueprint
Suppose you’re welcoming a lodger, Airbnb guests, or even a contractor into your home. In that case, the Houseguest Blueprint is an excellent way to produce an AI-assisted guide to your home and the surrounding area.
To find Blueprints:
Open the Alexa app for iOS or Android and navigate to the More tab at the bottom right of the screen. Tap See More. Tap Blueprints. Tap the Home section Finally, press the Blueprint you’d like. We’ll tap Houseguest in this example.
Adding Content
After clicking Make Your Own, the first step is to add some answers to any questions you think your guests might have. If you’d like to add additional responses, just tap Add… underneath your answers.
Where to Find Things
When your guest asks, “Alexa, where is the…”, Alexa will respond with the answer you’ve set and any additional notes you’ve added.
For example, you want to let guests know where you keep the coffee. In this scenario, you might:
Add “Coffee” to Item Name. Add “In the cupboard above the sink, to the right” to Location. Add “The stronger coffee is in the green packet” to Note.
When a guest asks, “Alexa, where is the coffee?” Alexa will respond, “In the cupboard above the sink, to the right. The stronger coffee is in the green packet.”
How to Do Things
Similar to how Alexa can guide your guests to where things are, it can also tell them how to do something. Remember that the Alexa command starts with “Alexa, how do I…”, so tailor the task name accordingly.
For example, you want to let guests know how the shower works. In this scenario, you might:
Add “Use the shower” to Task. Add “Turn the big dial all the way around. Then, turn the second dial to 6 o’clock for a warm shower” to Steps. Add “Turn the dial to 9 o’clock for a hotter shower” to Note.
When a guest asks, “Alexa, how do I use the shower?” Alexa will respond by saying, “Turn the big dial all the way around. Then, turn the second dial to 6 o’clock for a warm shower. Turn the dial to 9 o’clock for a hotter shower.”
Contact Info
Finally, you can add contact info for yourself or any other contacts. For example, you want to add your contact details as the host. Here, you might:
Add “Host” to Type. Add your name to Name. Add your phone number to Phone.
When your guest asks about contact information, Alexa will read through the list in order, asking your guest if they would like to hear the next contact. Be sure to put the most useful contacts at the top of the list.
Customizing the Experience
After tapping Next: Experience at the top of the screen, you’ll be invited to customize precisely how Alexa interacts with your guests. This is an excellent set of features for Airbnb hosts, as it can add a touch of personalization with just a few keyboard taps.
Add a Custom Introduction
There’s already a default introduction from Alexa, but you can edit it to say whatever you like. If you’re an Airbnb host, you might add a “P.S. check the…” to nudge your guests towards a gift you’ve left. This introduction will play the first time your guests open the Houseguest skill.
Vary Alexa’s Greeting
Customize the Farewell Message
When your guest closes the skill, Alexa will say, “If you have any other questions, just ask me.” by default. Here, you can edit the farewell message and change it to whatever you like.
Change the Background Image
Lastly, if you’re using the Houseguest Blueprint on an Echo Show, you can change the background image displayed when using the skill. You can safely ignore this option if you’re just using an Echo Dot.
Creating the Skill
Finally, tap “Next: Name” at the top of the screen. You can now edit the phrase your guests will use to open your skill. It is usually set to “My Home Guide” by default, but you can edit it to “My Guide”, for example. Tap “Next: Create Skill” to finalize your skill. You’ll need to wait a couple of minutes before you can test it out.
Using the Skill
For your guests to use the skill, they’ll need to say, “Alexa, open [name of your Houseguest skill]”. By default, this command will likely be “Alexa, open My Home Guide”.
The first time they open the skill, they’ll be met with your introductory message. Every subsequent time, Alexa will choose a random message from your list of greetings. They can just say, “Alexa, close [name of Houseguest skill]” to close the skill.
2. The Babysitter and Pet Sitter Blueprints
The Babysitter and Pet Sitter Blueprints are very similar to the Houseguest Blueprint. The features remain the same, but the defaults are more specific to babysitting or pet sitting.
However, there are two extra features specifically geared towards looking after a child or pet. Both Blueprints offer the same features, so the following instructions can be used for either the Babysitter or Pet Sitter Blueprints.
Adding Daily Schedules
These Blueprints allow you to add a morning, afternoon, and evening schedule with a customized message for your child or pet. For example, when your sitter asks about your child’s evening schedule, Alexa will respond with the message you’ve written.
Adding Vital Information
The Blueprints also let you add lists of vital information. There are three options: allergies, medications, and any special notes. For instance, your pet sitter might ask, “Alexa, does Fido have any allergies?”. Alexa will then read anything you’ve put in the allergies box.
Setting Up and Using the Skill
As mentioned, the rest of the skill is practically identical to the Houseguest blueprint, so you can set it up in the same way.
Your sitter will need to open the Alexa skill before being able to ask questions. They can open it by saying, “Alexa, open [name of Babysitter or Pet Sitter skill]”. By default, this will be “Alexa, open My Babysitter”, or “Alexa, open My Pet Sitter”. To close, they just need to say, “Alexa, close [name of Babysitter or Pet Sitter skill]”.
3. The Custom Q&A Blueprint
There’s a handy Blueprint name “Custom Q&A” that helps fill in the blanks for any questions you feel the Blueprints mentioned have missed. The Custom Q&A Blueprint can add an extra level of personalization that makes your guests feel like you’ve gone the extra mile for them.
Adding Missed Questions
You might’ve noticed that the Houseguest, Babysitter, and Pet Sitter Blueprints only allow guests to ask two types of questions: how and where. But it doesn’t allow you to answer questions like “Who do I call if…” or “What’s the code for…” With the Custom Q&A Blueprint, you can answer these questions and more.
Start by deleting the sample questions by tapping the X on the right-hand side of each one. Then, tap Add Q&A. In the box below “When you say: ‘Alexa’,” add in a question you think your guests might ask. Keep it simple to ensure the best results. Then, tap “Add another way to ask this question”. Rephrase the question. Add another if you think of another way your guest might ask the question. Fill out the answer in the box underneath “Alexa will say:” Repeat the process for any other questions you want to add. Finally, press Next: Create Skill.
Using the Skill
Unlike the Houseguest, Babysitter, and Pet Sitter Blueprints, there’s no need to open the Custom Q&A skill before using it. You can tell your guests that if they have any who, what, or why questions, they can simply ask Alexa.
Create a More Welcoming Smart Home With Alexa Skills
Using these steps, you’ll be able to create a welcoming experience for anyone staying in your home. By reducing the time spent asking (and answering) questions, your guest’s stay becomes a frictionless pleasure for you and them.
