Workflow Best Practices

Design effective, maintainable workflows with these guidelines.

Design Principles

Keep It Simple

• Start with the simplest flow that solves the problem
• Add complexity only when needed
• Break complex workflows into smaller, reusable pieces

Plan Before Building

1. Map out the conversation on paper first
2. Identify all possible user paths
3. Define entry and exit points
4. List required variables and integrations

User-Centric Design

• Minimize the number of steps to achieve goals
• Provide clear instructions at each step
• Offer escape routes (e.g., “Talk to a human”)
• Handle errors gracefully

Conversation Flow

Opening

• Start with a clear greeting
• Set expectations about what the bot can help with
• Ask one question at a time

Middle

• Use quick replies when possible (faster than typing)
• Confirm important information before proceeding
• Provide progress indicators for long flows

Closing

• Summarize what was accomplished
• Offer next steps or related help
• Thank the user

Error Handling

Input Validation

• Validate formats (email, phone, dates)
• Set reasonable retry limits (2-3 attempts)
• Provide specific error messages:
  • Bad: “Invalid input”
  • Good: “Please enter a valid email address (e.g., name@example.com)“

Fallbacks

Always include:

• Default branches in condition nodes
• Timeout handlers for waiting states
• “I don’t understand” responses

Recovery

• Let users restart or go back
• Save progress when possible
• Offer human takeover for stuck users

Performance

Optimize API Calls

• Cache API Call responses when appropriate
• Use async API Calls for non-blocking operations
• Set reasonable timeouts

Avoid Loops

• Always ensure loops have exit conditions
• Set maximum iteration limits
• Monitor for infinite loop patterns

Organization

Naming Conventions

• Workflows: lead-qualification, support-ticket, booking-flow
• Variables: customer_email, order_total, selected_plan
• Nodes: Prefix with type: msg-greeting, q-email, cond-plan-check

Documentation

• Add descriptions to complex nodes
• Document expected inputs and outputs
• Note any external dependencies

Version Control

• Use descriptive names when saving versions
• Test thoroughly before activating new versions
• Keep a rollback plan for production workflows

Testing

Test Cases

Create test scenarios for:

• Happy path (everything goes right)
• Edge cases (boundary values, empty inputs)
• Error paths (validation failures, API errors)
• Timeout scenarios

User Testing

• Test with real users before launch
• Observe where users get stuck
• Collect feedback on clarity and speed

Common Patterns

Lead Qualification

Start → Greeting → Ask Name → Ask Email → Ask Budget →
Condition (Budget) → [High: Schedule Call | Low: Send Resources]

Support Ticket

Start → Greeting → Ask Issue Type → Quick Replies →
Condition → [Known Issue: Show Solution | Unknown: Create Ticket → Human Takeover]

Appointment Booking

Start → Ask Service → Show Available Dates → Confirm Time →
Collect Contact Info → Create Booking (API Call) → Confirmation

Checklist

Before activating a workflow:

• All paths lead to an end node
• All conditions have default branches
• Error messages are helpful
• Variables are properly initialized
• API Calls have error handling
• Flow has been tested end-to-end
• Documentation is up to date