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Software Behaviorby Joost van der Zwan
Index

Framework · Canvas · from Chapter 5

Workflow Authorship Canvas

A canvas for redesigning a workflow rather than wrapping it in better UI.
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The framework

Fig. · Workflow Authorship Canvas
  1. Trigger (System): Where does the work actually begin, before the product is opened?
  2. Context (Person): What does the user already know, and what should the system know on their behalf?
  3. Decision points (Person): Where does the user make a real choice, and where is the product asking for a choice it should learn, default, or prepare?
  4. Handoffs (System): Where does work move between people, tools, systems, or surfaces?
  5. Repetition (System): What happens often enough that the system should notice the pattern?
  6. Bottlenecks (System): Where does the work wait, and is the waiting intentional or accidental?
  7. System assistance (System): Which steps could the system safely prepare, suggest, classify, summarize, automate, or route?
  8. Human control (Person): Which decisions must remain visibly and meaningfully in human hands?

A practical grid for redesigning the workflow itself.

  1. 01

    Trigger

    Where does the work actually begin, before the product is opened?

  2. 02

    Context

    What does the user already know, and what should the system know on their behalf?

  3. 03

    Decision points

    Where does the user make a real choice, and where is the product asking for a choice it should learn, default, or prepare?

  4. 04

    Handoffs

    Where does work move between people, tools, systems, or surfaces?

  5. 05

    Repetition

    What happens often enough that the system should notice the pattern?

  6. 06

    Bottlenecks

    Where does the work wait, and is the waiting intentional or accidental?

  7. 07

    System assistance

    Which steps could the system safely prepare, suggest, classify, summarize, automate, or route?

  8. 08

    Human control

    Which decisions must remain visibly and meaningfully in human hands?

4 · Do

How to use it · Workflow canvas

Take a real workflow and fill the canvas. For work that continues unattended, add authorization bounds, budget, checkpoints, status, pause/cancel/resume, retry, partial completion, and escalation.

5 · Save

The Product Architect · Workflow Authorship Canvas

Framework · Canvas