Automation Workflow Interface Design
Tolulope Amao
The goal was to design an automation workflow interface that makes it easy for users to discover, build, and adopt workflow templates without feeling overwhelmed by technical complexity.
UX Decisions
Template-Centric Navigation
A left-hand sidebar organizes workflows by use case categories (Lead Management, Employee Onboarding, Bug Tracking, etc.), helping users quickly locate relevant templates.
A global search bar ensures direct access for users who already know what they’re looking for.
Surface Familiarity Through Apps
A Trending Apps strip (Gmail, Zapier, Slack, Typeform, etc.) provides instant recognition and reassurance by showing integrations users already know and trust.
This reduces friction and increases adoption, as users can anchor their workflows to familiar tools.
Social Proof & Recency
A Recent Workflows section highlights real user automations (with names attached), showing practical examples of how others use the tool.
Social validation helps new users feel inspired and reduces the effort of starting from scratch.
Progressive Discovery of Templates
Trending Templates offer curated, high-value workflows, minimizing the paradox of choice and showcasing popular automations.
Card-based design provides bite-sized previews of workflow logic without overwhelming users with full details.
Consistency & Cognitive Ease
Each workflow template follows a uniform card structure (app icons, description, creator), making scanning effortless.
Descriptions use plain language (“When I receive an email with an attachment in Gmail…”) instead of technical jargon, making automation accessible to non-technical users.
Community & Personalization
Associating workflows with real user names (e.g., “Sngl M”) adds a community-driven dimension, creating a sense of belonging and trust.
Trending and recent sections adapt dynamically, ensuring the experience feels fresh and relevant.
Outcome
The design combines clarity, familiarity, and social validation to reduce the intimidation of automation tools. By structuring workflows around recognizable apps, simple language, and curated templates, the product lowers the barrier for entry while encouraging exploration and adoption.
Like this project
Posted Nov 28, 2025
Boost efficiency with automation workflow design, streamline tasks, reduce manual effort, and enhance productivity across teams and projects
