Controls and Actions

Overview

Controls and Actions enable users to provide input, refine AI processes, and execute tasks. This is the primary interface for user command and consent, allowing for everything from natural language queries to explicit approval of system actions. They are crucial for ensuring that the user remains in control of the AI’s behavior, can efficiently manage recurring tasks, and can give the necessary permissions for the system to act on their behalf.

Usage Guidance

When To Use This Pattern

• To provide the primary input method for users to issue natural language commands to a conversational AI.
• For gaining explicit user consent before the system takes a significant or irreversible action based on an AI suggestion.
• When offering multiple, related AI operations (e.g., summarize, rephrase, expand) on a user’s selected content or within a specific context.
• To allow users or administrators to define and manage custom, multi-step AI-driven workflows for automating repeatable business processes.
• To improve user efficiency by allowing them to save and reuse frequent queries and revisit past AI conversations.

When To Use Something Else

• For inputting structured data into a standard form or for keyword-based filtering of a list; standard form fields are more appropriate.
• For conversational replies or follow-up questions where Suggested Prompts would be a better fit than definitive action buttons.
• When there is only one possible AI action to take on a piece of content; a single Action Button is more direct than a menu.
• For performing single, one-off actions that do not require a complex, repeatable workflow definition.

Variants

Prompt Bar

The Prompt Bar is the primary text input field where users type natural language questions and commands to receive responses from the Assistant. It is a core element for user input and AI refinement

Anatomy

1. Container: Sticky container fixed to the bottom of the Side Panel that houses Suggested Prompts and Prompt Bar
2. Expandable Container: Expanded by default, allows the user to hide/show Suggested Prompts
3. Suggested Prompts: Prompts configured by the Configurator appear here as well as intelligent suggestions generated by Workday Assistant. Suggested Prompts should always be relevant to the task, or even better, related to the user’s most recent query.
4. Prompt Bar: Allows the user to ask freeform questions to Workday Assistant. Currently set at a 300 character limit.
5. Gen AI Disclaimer: Ensures transparency that we clearly communicate when users are interacting with an AI system.

Usage Guidance

When To Use

• Use it as the primary entry point for a multi-turn, back-and-forth dialogue where the user needs to ask follow-up questions and refine their request.

When To Use Something Else

• When a user is new or unsure what’s possible, a blank prompt bar can be intimidating. Use Suggested Prompt Buttons to help users discover capabilities and guide them to relevant queries or actions.
• While a user could use the Prompt Bar to navigate to a page in the system, use the persistent Navigation Bar as the primary means to navigate to application destinations. It’s consistent and discoverable.

Best Practices

• Do use clear placeholder text to encourage conversational input and suggest what’s possible (e.g., “Ask about benefits,” “Type a command,” or “How can I help you?”).

• Do make it visually prominent. The Prompt Bar is the primary point of interaction; it should be easy to find and clearly look like an input field.

• Do provide a clear “Submit” or “Send” button. While the “Enter” key should also work, a visible button provides a crucial affordance for many users.

• Do support multi-line input. The text field should expand vertically as the user types a longer query, so they can see their full question.

• Don’t use vague placeholder text. Avoid generic terms like “Search…” if the Assistant can do more than search, as this can limit the user’s perception of its capabilities.

• Don’t make the input area too small. A cramped text field discourages users from typing detailed, natural language questions.

• Don’t be overly strict with syntax. The AI should be robust enough to handle minor typos, grammatical errors, and different ways of phrasing the same request.

• Don’t lack a visual focus state. When the user clicks into the Prompt Bar, it should be obvious it’s active (e.g., with a highlighted border).

Examples

• Conversation Panel: A Prompt Bar is fixed to the bottom of the Conversation Panel. A user can click into the Prompt Bar, which displays “Ask me anything…” as placeholder text. They can then type “What’s my time off balance” and press the submit button to send the command to the Assistant. The Assistant will then return a response with the user’s time off balance, as well as Suggested Prompts that could include creating a Time Off Request, or follow-up questions such as “What is the company’s time off policy?” or “How much time can I carry over to next year?”
• AI Content Popover: Within a popover for generating text, a smaller Prompt Bar might be used for refinement. After the AI generates an initial draft, a prompt bar could appear below it with placeholder text like “Tell me how to change it,” allowing the user to type commands like “Make it shorter” or “Use a more formal tone.”

FAAB Menu

The FAAB Menu is a component that provides a list of AI-driven actions or content refinement options. It is designed to offer multiple AI operations that are directly related to a user’s selected item or current context, consolidating various capabilities into a single, accessible menu.

Anatomy

1. Trigger Button: The button, often appearing contextually, that a user selects to reveal the menu of AI actions.
2. Menu Panel: The container that appears on-screen to hold the list of menu items.
3. Menu Items: The individual, selectable options within the menu, each corresponding to a specific AI-driven action or refinement. Each label should be action-oriented (e.g., “Generate Job Description,” “Condense Text”).

Usage Guidance

• Ensure the actions provided in the menu are relevant to the user’s current selection or context.
• Group related AI actions together to provide a clear and organized set of options.
• Keep the list of actions concise and focused on the most valuable operations for that context.
• Use clear, verb-driven labels for each menu item to make its purpose immediately understandable.

When To Use

• As a menu providing a list of AI-driven actions or refinement options for content.
• For offering multiple AI operations related to a selected item or context.

When To Use Something Else

• There is only one possible action for a selected item (use a single Action Button).
• The user needs to provide free-form text commands (use a Prompt Bar).
• The list of actions is not AI-driven (use a standard context or overflow menu).
• The action is a simple approval or rejection (use “Confirm”/“Deny” Action Buttons).

Best Practices

• Ensure all actions in the menu are directly relevant to the user’s current selection or context.

• Group related AI actions together or nest them to maintain a clear and organized set of options.

• Keep the list of actions concise and focused on the most valuable operations for the given context.

• Use clear, verb-driven labels for each menu item, making its purpose immediately understandable.

• Don’t use the FAAB Menu if there’s only one possible AI action for a selected item; a single Action Button is more appropriate.

• Don’t use the FAAB Menu for actions that are not AI-driven.

Product Examples