Overview

Automation was one of SleekFlow's most critical capabilities — the engine that let businesses scale customer communication without scaling headcount. But as customer needs grew more complex, the automation system struggled to keep up.

I led the design of Flow Builder across multiple phases: from replacing a rule-based system with a visual canvas, to redesigning the advanced builder around a deeper understanding of how users actually think about automation.

This case study covers the full journey — what we built, what we learned, and how we kept improving it.

A note on the phases: this wasn't a planned two-phase roadmap. The split emerged organically — as complexity grew, expanding the existing builder would have created too much technical debt. Advanced Flow Builder was the cleaner path forward, built on everything we learned from the first version.

😵‍💫 Problem

Before Flow Builder, automation worked well for simple workflows but struggled with complexity.

Key challenges

Limited workflow flexibility — Existing automations were rule-based and restrictive
Poor visibility — Users struggled to understand workflow logic end-to-end
High setup friction — Complex workflows were difficult to build and maintain

https://youtu.be/iHs3HlkXlpc

The original Automations (Automations V1) system — flat rules with no way to see the full logic or how steps connected.

🎯 Goal

Replace rule-based automation with a flexible, visual workflow builder
Help users understand and trust what they're building as they build it
Reduce setup friction, especially for non-technical users