Methods and apparatus for initiating an action using a voice-controlled human interface. The interface provides a hands free, voice driven environment to control processes and applications. According to one embodiment, a method comprises electronically receiving first user input, parsing the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains a command activation statement that cues a voice-controlled human interface to enter a command mode in which a second user input comprising a voice signal is processed to identify at least one executable command and, in response to determining that the first user input comprises the command activation statement, identifying the at least one executable command in the second user input.