Quick Reference Widget
Drag, drop, and automate—simplifying how users connect pipeline steps.
Automation in Quickbase Pipelines is powerful—but not always straightforward. Users often struggle with referencing values from previous steps, understanding dependencies, and avoiding context switching.
Collaborated with
+ 1 Engineering team
Q1'24
The Backstory
Building automation workflows should be seamless, but users frequently had to manually find and enter reference values, slowing them down and increasing the chance of mistakes. We needed a way to provide in-context guidance without disrupting their workflow.
The Problem
Manually looking up values or re-entering incorrect data slowed down automation and increased frustration. A more seamless, integrated way to reference step values was needed to keep workflows smooth and error-free.
User Pain Points
Context Switching:
Finding reference values required leaving the workflow or navigating between steps.
Unclear Dependencies: Understanding step order and available reference values wasn’t always intuitive.
Manual Entry Errors:
Users frequently entered incorrect references, leading to broken workflows.
The Solution
A seamless way to reference values without breaking the user's workflow was essential. The Quick Reference Widget was designed to simplify automation by providing immediate, intuitive access to necessary step data. We introduced an UI affordance that provides:
Drag-and-Drop Referencing: Users can drag values from previous steps directly into their automation, reducing errors.
Step Overview Panel: Displays a short summary of the step order, making dependencies clear.
Inline Value Suggestions: Helps users reference data without needing to memorize field names.
The Process
User Research: Identified common workflow issues by analyzing user interactions and support tickets.
Prototyping & Testing: Created a lightweight prototype and iterated based on usability testing.
Engineering Collaboration: Ensured that the widget was performant and seamlessly integrated into the Pipelines UI.
What We Learned
Immediate Context Matters
Users work faster when information is available exactly where they need it.
Reducing Manual Input Saves Time
Drag-and-drop referencing significantly cut down errors.
Small Enhancements Have Big Impact
A simple step summary panel made workflows much easier to navigate.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Key collaboration efforts included:
Weekly Design Syncs with Engineering & PMs – I led weekly design critiques where we aligned on functionality, usability, and implementation, making sure the widget was both effective and scalable.
Engineering-Driven Feedback Loops – Engineers were actively involved in shaping interactions, ensuring that technical limitations were addressed early, rather than requiring last-minute design adjustments.
Influencing Broader Processes – What started as a design sync specific to this project quickly became the norm across other Quickbase teams, reinforcing a culture of structured design-engineering collaboration.
By embedding tight collaboration into the design process, we ensured that the Quick Reference Widget became an integral part of Pipelines, reducing workflow friction and improving automation usability.
Final Thoughts
The Quick Reference Widget transformed how users interact with Pipelines, reducing friction, minimizing errors, and making automation more intuitive. By focusing on small but impactful design choices, we helped users build better, faster, and more reliable automation workflows.