A description of the design and implementation of spoken language dialogue within the context of spoken language dialogue systems development. Using an applications-oriented SLDS developed through the Danish Dialogue project, the authors describe the complete process involved; and in so doing present several innovative practical tools, such as dialogue design guidelines, in-depth evaluation methodologies and speech functionality analysis. Their approach is firmly applications-oriented, describing the results applicable to industry and showing how the development of advanced applications drives research rather than vice versa. For everyone working on the R&D of spoken language services, especially in the area of telecommunications.