jamesgray-ai/naming-workflows

Naming Workflows

Generate consistent, professional names and descriptions for business workflows, then create entries in the Notion Workflows database.

Workflow Naming Rules

Format Requirements

• Length: 2-4 words maximum
• Structure: Noun phrases (not verb phrases)
• Style: Title case
• Clarity: Self-explanatory without context

Naming Patterns by Domain

Sales workflows:

• Pattern: [Prospect Type] [Action]
• Examples: Student Enrollment, Lead Qualification, Proposal Generation

Marketing workflows:

• Pattern: [Content Type] [Action/Purpose]
• Examples: Newsletter Distribution, Social Media Scheduling, Content Repurposing

Product workflows:

• Pattern: [Deliverable] [Action]
• Examples: Lesson Content Creation, Curriculum Design, Exercise Development

Education workflows:

• Pattern: [Student/Cohort] [Activity]
• Examples: Student Onboarding, Course Access Setup, Live Session Delivery

Consulting workflows:

• Pattern: [Deliverable/Phase] [Action]
• Examples: Engagement Planning, Strategic Assessment, Implementation Support

Operations workflows:

• Pattern: [Function] [Process]
• Examples: Email Response Drafting, Calendar Management, System Maintenance

Finance workflows:

• Pattern: [Transaction Type] [Action]
• Examples: Invoice Generation, Payment Processing, Revenue Tracking

Common Patterns

| If workflow monitors/checks | Use "[Subject] Monitoring" or "[Subject] Review" | | If workflow creates output | Use "[Output] Creation" or "[Output] Generation" | | If workflow sends/distributes | Use "[Item] Distribution" or "[Item] Delivery" | | If workflow onboards/sets up | Use "[Subject] Onboarding" or "[Subject] Setup" | | If workflow recovers/follows up | Use "[Subject] Recovery" or "[Subject] Follow-up" |

Anti-Patterns (Avoid)

❌ Verb phrases: "Managing Email", "Creating Content" ❌ Too generic: "Daily Task", "Process 1" ❌ Too long: "Student Enrollment Payment Processing and Confirmation" ❌ Tool-focused: "Claude Email Tool", "Using Zapier for X" ❌ Jargon without context: "SOP-001", "Flow Alpha"

Description Writing

Format

Write 1-2 concise sentences that answer:

1. What does this workflow do?
2. What is the outcome/output?

Structure

[Action verb] [object] [context/condition]. [Outcome statement].

Examples

Good descriptions:

• "Review Gmail for emails requiring responses and draft replies. Generates draft responses ready for user review."
• "Convert course waitlist prospects into enrolled students through targeted email campaigns. Results in payment confirmations and enrollment completions."
• "Extract key insights from lesson recordings and repurpose into LinkedIn posts and Substack content. Produces 5+ social assets per lesson."

Avoid:

• Overly detailed: "This workflow checks the Gmail inbox every morning at 7:30 AM using Claude's email skill to scan for messages that..."
• Too vague: "Handles email stuff"
• Tool-focused: "Uses Claude and Gmail to do email"

Process Outcome Writing

Format

Write a short phrase (2-5 words) naming the concrete business deliverable.

Requirements

• Tangible: Something that can be reviewed, sent, or measured
• Specific: Not "completed workflow" or "done"
• Noun phrase: The thing produced, not the action

Examples

| Workflow | Process Outcome | |----------|-----------------| | Email Response Drafting | Draft email responses | | Lead Qualification | Qualified lead list | | Content Repurposing | 5+ social assets | | Student Onboarding | Onboarded students | | Newsletter Distribution | Published newsletter | | Invoice Generation | Sent invoices |

Anti-Patterns (Avoid)

• ❌ "Workflow completed" (not tangible)
• ❌ "Emails processed" (too vague)
• ❌ "Done" (not descriptive)
• ❌ "Successfully ran the email workflow" (action, not deliverable)

Workflow Context Properties

When naming/describing workflows, consider these Notion properties:

Domain (inherited from Business Process):

• Sales, Marketing, Product, Education, Consulting, Operations, Finance

Trigger:

• Daily/Weekly/Monthly schedule
• Event-based (payment received, email arrives)
• Manual/Ad-hoc

Sequence (within Business Process):

• Use multiples of 10 (10, 20, 30...) to allow insertions without renumbering
• Parallel workflows can share the same sequence number
• Only required when workflow is part of a multi-step process
• Leave blank for standalone workflows

Examples by Domain

Sales Domain

| Workflow Name | Description | Process Outcome | |---------------|-------------|-----------------| | Lead Qualification | Identify and score prospects using research tools and qualification criteria. Produces ranked lead list with contact details. | Qualified lead list | | Student Enrollment | Process active student applications through payment and confirmation. Results in enrolled students ready for onboarding. | Enrolled students | | Enrollment Recovery | Re-engage prospects who abandoned the enrollment process. Generates personalized follow-up sequences. | Re-engagement emails |

Marketing Domain

| Workflow Name | Description | Process Outcome | |---------------|-------------|-----------------| | Content Repurposing | Transform lesson recordings into multi-platform social content. Creates LinkedIn posts, X threads, and Substack excerpts. | 5+ social assets | | Newsletter Distribution | Publish newsletter content and distribute across platforms. Delivers newsletter to subscribers and social channels. | Published newsletter | | Social Media Scheduling | Plan and schedule weekly LinkedIn and X content. Produces content calendar with scheduled posts. | Weekly content calendar |

Product Domain

| Workflow Name | Description | Process Outcome | |---------------|-------------|-----------------| | Lesson Content Creation | Design and write online course lesson materials. Produces slide decks, exercises, and student resources. | Complete lesson package | | Curriculum Design | Structure course outline aligned with learning objectives. Creates module sequence with Bloom's taxonomy alignment. | Course curriculum | | Exercise Development | Create hands-on activities for course participants. Generates practical exercises with solutions and rubrics. | Student exercises |

Education Domain

| Workflow Name | Description | Process Outcome | |---------------|-------------|-----------------| | Student Onboarding | Grant course access and prepare students for Day 1. Delivers welcome materials, Slack access, and technical setup. | Onboarded students | | Live Session Delivery | Teach scheduled scheduled cohort sessions. Facilitates learning, Q&A, and student engagement. | Completed session | | Assessment & Feedback | Review student work and provide constructive feedback. Generates graded assignments with improvement guidance. | Graded assignments |

Operations Domain

| Workflow Name | Description | Process Outcome | |---------------|-------------|-----------------| | Email Response Drafting | Review inbox for urgent messages and create draft replies. Produces professionally written responses ready for review. | Draft email responses | | Calendar Management | Coordinate scheduling across meetings and cohort sessions. Maintains organized calendar with buffer time. | Updated calendar | | Slack Response Drafting | Monitor Slack channels and create appropriate replies. Generates context-aware draft responses. | Draft Slack messages |

Usage Workflow

When user provides a workflow description:

1. Identify domain (based on business function)
2. Determine pattern (creation, monitoring, distribution, etc.)
3. Generate 2-3 name options using relevant pattern
4. Write description (action + outcome)
5. Suggest Process Outcome (concrete deliverable)
6. Present options for user selection
7. Search Business Processes to suggest appropriate process link
8. Determine Sequence if part of a multi-step process:
   • Query existing workflows under the same Business Process
   • Assign next available multiple of 10 (or ask user for placement)
   • Use same sequence number for parallel workflows
9. Create entry in Notion after user confirms selections

Notion Database References

Workflows Database

• Data Source ID: <your-workflows-database-id>
• Database URL: <your-database-url>

Properties: | Property | Type | Values/Notes | |----------|------|--------------| | Name | title | Workflow name (2-4 words) | | Description | text | 1-2 sentences | | Process Outcome | text | Concrete deliverable (2-5 words) | | Business Process | relation | Link to Business Processes database | | Sequence | number | Order within process (use 10, 20, 30...) | | Status | select | Backlog, Under Development, In Production | | Type | select | Augmented, Automated, Manual | | Trigger | text | e.g., "Weekly (Sunday)", "On email arrival", "Manual" | | Apps | multi-select | Notion, Web Search, Gmail, Slack, GitHub, etc. | | SOP | url | Link to SOP markdown file (populated by writing-workflow-sops) | | Workflow Requirements | url | Link to workflow requirements markdown file (populated by framework Deconstruct phase) | | Design Spec | url | Link to Design Spec markdown file (populated by framework Design phase) | | Assets Used | relation | Link to Assets database (optional) |

Business Processes Database

• Data Source ID: <your-business-processes-database-id>

Domains: Coaching, Consulting, Education, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Product, Sales

Creating Workflow Entry

After user confirms name, description, and process outcome:

1. Search Business Processes using Notion:notion-search with relevant keywords
2. Present process options and let user confirm or create new
3. Query existing workflows under the selected Business Process to determine next Sequence number
4. Create workflow entry using Notion:notion-create-pages:

{
  "parent": {"data_source_id": "<your-workflows-database-id>"},
  "pages": [{
    "properties": {
      "Name": "Workflow Name Here",
      "Description": "Description here.",
      "Process Outcome": "Outcome here",
      "Status": "Under Development",
      "Type": "Augmented",
      "Trigger": "Weekly (Sunday)",
      "Sequence": 10,
      "Business Process": "[\"https://www.notion.so/<business-process-page-id>\"]"
    }
  }]
}

Default values:

• Status: "Under Development" (new workflows)
• Type: "Augmented" (human-in-the-loop) unless fully automated
• Sequence: Next available multiple of 10 within the Business Process

Quick Reference

Name formula: [Subject] [Action/Purpose] (2-4 words, noun phrase) Description formula: [Action verb] [object] [condition]. [Outcome]. (1-2 sentences) Process Outcome: Concrete deliverable (not "completed workflow") Sequence: Multiples of 10 within Business Process (10, 20, 30...)

Sequence Example

Business Process: ⚡ Lightning Lesson Launch

| Sequence | Workflow | Trigger | |:--------:|----------|---------| | 10 | Lightning Lesson Design | Ad-hoc (new lesson idea) | | 20 | Lightning Lesson Content Creation | 2-3 weeks before event | | 30 | Lightning Lesson Promotion | 2-3 weeks before event | | 40 | Lightning Lesson Conversion | Post-event (within 48 hours) |

Note: Content Creation (20) and Promotion (30) could share sequence "20" if they run in parallel.