Voice user interface authoring tool

A voice user interface authoring tool is configured to use categorized example caller responses, from which callflow paths, automatic speech recognition, and natural language processing control files can be generated automatically within a single, integrated authoring user interface. A voice user interface (VUI) design component allows an author to create an application incorporating various types of action nodes, including Prompt/Response Processing (PRP) nodes. At runtime, the system uses the information from each PRP node to prompt a user to say something, and to process the user's response in order to extract its meaning. An Automatic Speech Recognition/Natural Language Processing (ASR/NLP) Control Design component allows the author to associate sample inputs with each possible meaning, and automatically generates the necessary ASR and NLP runtime control files. The VUI design component allows the author to associate the appropriate ASR and NLP control files with each PRP node, and to associate an action node with each possible meaning, as indicated by the NLP control file.