Understanding Workflows

Multi-agent orchestration made simple

Learn how to design, build, and optimize complex multi-agent workflows using MotteAF's visual interface and powerful orchestration engine.

What are Workflows?

Workflows in Motte are structured sequences of operations that coordinate multiple AI agents, tools, and data processing steps to accomplish complex tasks. Think of them as blueprints that define how different components work together to solve problems that require multiple steps or perspectives.

Core Concepts

Nodes

Individual processing units that perform specific tasks:

  • Agent Nodes: Execute AI model calls
  • Tool Nodes: Integrate external APIs
  • Logic Nodes: Handle conditional branching
  • Data Nodes: Transform and process data

Edges

Connections that define data flow and execution order:

  • Sequential: One after another
  • Conditional: Based on logic conditions
  • Parallel: Simultaneous execution
  • Loop: Iterative processing

Execution Context

Shared state and variables that flow through the workflow, allowing nodes to access and modify data from previous steps.

Triggers

Events that initiate workflow execution, such as API calls, scheduled events, or external webhooks.

Workflow Patterns

1. Sequential Processing

Input → Classifier → Processor → Validator → Output

The simplest pattern where each step depends on the previous one. Perfect for document processing, content generation, and data transformation pipelines.

Use Cases:

  • • Document analysis and summarization
  • • Content moderation pipelines
  • • Data validation and cleaning
  • • Multi-step form processing

2. Parallel Processing

Input → Split → [Agent A, Agent B, Agent C] → Merge → Output

Execute multiple independent tasks simultaneously to reduce overall processing time and gather diverse perspectives.

Use Cases:

  • • Multi-perspective content analysis
  • • Batch data processing
  • • A/B testing different approaches
  • • Redundant processing for reliability

3. Conditional Routing

Input → Decision Node → [Route A | Route B | Route C] → Output

Dynamic path selection based on input characteristics, user preferences, or business rules.

Use Cases:

  • • Customer support ticket routing
  • • Content categorization and handling
  • • Risk-based processing workflows
  • • Personalized user experiences

4. Feedback Loops

Input → Processor → Validator → [Continue | Retry] → Output

Iterative refinement with quality checks and retry logic for improved results.

Use Cases:

  • • Content quality improvement
  • • Error correction workflows
  • • Iterative problem solving
  • • Self-improving systems

Building Your First Workflow

Step 1: Define the Problem

Clearly articulate what you want to accomplish and break it down into discrete steps that can be automated.

Step 2: Identify Components

Determine which AI models, tools, and data sources you'll need. Consider what external APIs or services are required.

Step 3: Design the Flow

Map out the sequence of operations, decision points, and data transformations using MotteAF's visual designer.

Step 4: Test and Iterate

Start with simple test cases, monitor performance, and gradually add complexity while optimizing for reliability and efficiency.

Best Practices

Error Handling

Always include error handling nodes and fallback paths. Design for graceful degradation when components fail.

Monitoring and Logging

Add monitoring nodes at key points to track performance, costs, and quality metrics throughout your workflow.

Modular Design

Create reusable sub-workflows for common operations. This makes maintenance easier and promotes consistency.

Performance Optimization

Use parallel processing where possible, implement caching for expensive operations, and optimize API calls to reduce latency.

Example: Customer Support Workflow

Complete Workflow Definition

{
  "name": "Customer Support Automation",
  "description": "Intelligent ticket routing and response generation",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "intake",
      "type": "input",
      "config": {
        "schema": {
          "message": "string",
          "customer_id": "string",
          "priority": "enum[low,medium,high,urgent]"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "classifier",
      "type": "llm_agent",
      "config": {
        "model": "gpt-4",
        "prompt": "Classify this support request: {{intake.message}}",
        "output_schema": {
          "category": "enum[technical,billing,general]",
          "urgency": "enum[low,medium,high]",
          "sentiment": "enum[positive,neutral,negative]"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "memory_search",
      "type": "memory_query",
      "config": {
        "query": "{{intake.message}}",
        "limit": 5,
        "threshold": 0.7
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "response_generator",
      "type": "llm_agent",
      "config": {
        "model": "gpt-4",
        "prompt": "Generate a helpful response based on:\nCustomer message: {{intake.message}}\nCategory: {{classifier.category}}\nRelevant knowledge: {{memory_search.results}}",
        "temperature": 0.7
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "quality_check",
      "type": "llm_agent",
      "config": {
        "model": "gpt-3.5-turbo",
        "prompt": "Rate this response quality (1-10): {{response_generator.output}}",
        "output_schema": {
          "score": "number",
          "feedback": "string"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "edges": [
    {"from": "intake", "to": "classifier"},
    {"from": "intake", "to": "memory_search"},
    {"from": "classifier", "to": "response_generator"},
    {"from": "memory_search", "to": "response_generator"},
    {"from": "response_generator", "to": "quality_check"},
    {
      "from": "quality_check",
      "to": "response_generator",
      "condition": "quality_check.score < 7",
      "type": "retry"
    }
  ]
}