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Conversational Metric

The Conversational metric evaluates dialogue quality using Grice’s Maxims — principles of cooperative conversation that define effective communication. It accumulates scores across all interactions in a session and emits one session-level result, with optional uncertainty quantification via Bayesian mode.

Overview

The metric assesses seven dimensions: Each dimension produces a session-level ConversationalScore with a mean and optional credible interval (ci_low, ci_high) in Bayesian mode. The interactions list preserves per-QA scores for debugging.

Installation

Basic Usage

Required Parameters

Optional Parameters

Statistical Modes

Returns a weighted mean per dimension. ci_low and ci_high are None.

Interaction Weights

Each Batch can carry an optional weight to control its contribution to the session aggregate:

Output Schema

ConversationalMetric

ConversationalScore

ConversationalInteraction

Grice’s Maxims Explained

Quality Maxim

Be truthful: Don’t say what you believe to be false or lack evidence for.

Quantity Maxim

Be informative: Provide enough information, but not more than required.

Relation Maxim

Be relevant: Make your contribution relevant to the conversation.

Manner Maxim

Be clear: Avoid obscurity and ambiguity.

Score Interpretation

Complete Example

Best Practices

If a session has fewer than 5-10 interactions, the frequentist mean can be misleading. Bayesian mode shows a CI, making it clear when more data is needed.
Add observation to guide the judge on what to evaluate:
Include sequences that test memory:

Next Steps

Statistical Modes

Frequentist vs Bayesian — when each matters

Context Metric

Evaluate context alignment

Humanity Metric

Emotional analysis of responses