Alteryx as we all know makes it very easy to get work done fast. One thing that can become overwhelming very quickly is a growing workflow. Everyone who’s used Alteryx probably has built a gargantuan web of a workflow – or if not will fall into this trap soon enough. Below are some principles of design that can be applied to building workflows.
The principles of design:
- Balance – there should be an even dispersion of elements throughout the workspace
- Proximity – related sections in a workflow should be kept close to each other
- Alignment – tools and subsections should line up along a common axis (use ctrl + right/left arrow to make fine adjustments)
- Repetition – elements in the workflow should be designed similarly so as to create a sense of consistency
- Contrast – highlight key elements using contrast. e.g. heading comments can be shaded a darker colour to contrast from to ensure sub-segments are easy to identify
- Space – elements should be separated by an appropriate amount of space – clutter should be removed or hidden using containers
To achieve this I tend to use primarily comment tools to section up the workflow into neat liner and parallel sections. You can use the container tools to group a bunch of tools together or hide redundant groups of tools.
