Workflows

TL;DR

• Workflows are visual programming interfaces that transform abstract processes into understandable, shareable maps.
• While AI captures attention, the next decade will be defined by workflows as the foundation of all modern applications.
• Both agentic and non-agentic apps will adopt workflow patterns for better composability and transparency.
• Modern tools like n8n, Zapier, Flowise, and Lindy democratize workflow creation for different user needs.
• Five key advantages drive workflow adoption: composability, transparency, accessibility, adaptability, and AI integration.
• The workflow-first architecture makes workflows the application logic, with code as implementation details.

Workflows in Today’s Workforce

Workflows are already deeply embedded in our daily operations, even if we don’t call them that. Here’s how different industries are using workflow concepts:

Banking & Financial Services have complex workflow-driven processes. When you apply for a loan, the system follows a workflow: application submission → document verification → credit score check → risk assessment → approval decision → fund disbursement. Each step triggers the next, with built-in decision points for manual review when needed. Fraud detection systems run continuous workflows monitoring transactions in real-time, flagging suspicious patterns and automatically triggering appropriate responses.

Travel & Hospitality runs entirely on orchestrated workflows. Hotel booking systems manage room availability, pricing, and guest communication through interconnected workflows. Airline reservation systems handle ticket booking, seat selection, meal preferences, check-in, and boarding through elaborate workflow chains. When your flight gets canceled, a cascade of workflows automatically rebooks you, sends notifications, adjusts hotel reservations, and processes compensation—all without human intervention for routine cases.

Healthcare relies heavily on clinical workflows. Patient admission flows through multiple departments: registration → insurance verification → vitals collection → doctor consultation → diagnosis → treatment planning → billing → insurance claims. Each step triggers notifications, updates records, and ensures compliance with healthcare regulations. Prescription management follows workflows from doctor order to pharmacy fulfillment to patient pickup, with safety checks and insurance validations at each step.

E-commerce & Retail uses workflows for the entire customer journey. When you place an order: inventory check → payment processing → warehouse picking → packaging → shipping → delivery confirmation → customer feedback. Returns management is another complex workflow involving quality checks, refund processing, and inventory updates. Recommendation engines run continuous workflows analyzing browsing behavior, purchase history, and inventory data to personalize your shopping experience.

Manufacturing & Supply Chain operates on Just-in-Time workflows. Production planning triggers raw material ordering, which triggers manufacturing, which triggers quality control, which triggers packaging, which triggers logistics. Each step is monitored and optimized in real-time, with automated adjustments for delays or quality issues.

These examples show that workflows aren’t new—they’ve been the backbone of business operations for decades. What’s changing is our ability to make these workflows visible, editable, and intelligent.

Workflows as Visual Programming

Workflows are visual programming interfaces. They transform abstract processes into concrete, shareable maps that anyone can understand at a glance. If you can draw, you can design a workflow. Everything that happens in the workplace involves steps and some sort of workflows—workflows are the invisible architecture that turns chaos into order.

This visual nature makes workflows accessible. Instead of writing code, you connect nodes. Instead of debugging syntax errors, you trace paths. This democratization of programming is crucial because it allows anyone in an organization to codify their knowledge and processes.

The Foundation of Future Applications

All modern agentic and non-agentic applications would be based on workflows. This isn’t just automation—it’s about creating a new programming paradigm where visual and textual code coexist.

Consider AI agents: they’re essentially autonomous workflows that make decisions at runtime. A customer support AI agent follows a workflow: understand request → check knowledge base → retrieve relevant information → formulate response → escalate if needed. The difference is that the workflow includes decision points and learning loops.

Non-agentic applications are adopting workflow patterns too. Modern e-commerce platforms use workflows for order processing. Project management tools use workflows for task dependencies. Even social media platforms use workflows for content moderation and recommendation systems.

Why Workflows Will Dominate the Next Decade

The shift toward workflows as the foundation of applications should be happening for several reasons:

1. Composability: Workflows allow us to build complex systems from simple, reusable components. Instead of monolithic applications, we create workflows that compose existing services and APIs.

2. Transparency: Visual workflows make processes explicit and understandable. When something breaks, you can see exactly where and why. This transparency is crucial for debugging, compliance, and collaboration.

3. Accessibility: Visual programming lowers the barrier to entry. Product managers can design customer onboarding workflows. HR professionals can design employee onboarding workflows. Marketing teams can design campaign workflows.

4. Adaptability: Workflows can be modified without redeploying code. This agility is essential in a world where business requirements change rapidly.

5. AI Integration: Workflows provide the perfect structure for human-AI collaboration. Humans design the overall structure, and AI agents handle specific steps within that structure.

The Workflow-First Architecture

In a workflow-first architecture, applications are orchestrated processes. The code becomes the implementation details, while the workflow becomes the self-documentating application logic.

Think of it like this: traditional applications are like compiled programs, opaque and difficult to modify. Workflow-based applications are like source code readable, modifiable, and understandable by non-technical stakeholders.

This shift has profound implications for how we build and maintain software. Instead of writing documentation separately from code, the workflow itself becomes the documentation. Instead of handoffs between teams, everyone works with the same visual representation of the process.

Getting Started

I believe the workflow revolution is already here. You can start by mapping one process you perform regularly. What are the steps? What decisions do you make at each point? What information do you need?

The tools are available. The concepts are proven. The momentum is building.

What workflows are hiding in your daily work? Start by mapping one today and see what you discover.