Visualizing complex workflows is key to understanding and communicating how things really work. Recently, I used Excalidraw to sketch out the entire pseudonymization business flow at work — turning abstract tasks into a clear, interconnected diagram. This simple yet powerful tool helped me literally draw conclusions and make the process more transparent for the whole team. Let me show you how it all came together.
Suppose we’re building a solution that helps users transform raw data to be used in the cloud. Some teams start with the UI. Others focus first on database schemas and ER diagrams. Some begin with WBS charts or R&R matrices in spreadsheets.
But I’ve often felt that none of these really cut to the core. In reality, the first thing we should be identifying is the domain — the actual entities and flows in the business process. Especially in projects where the goals are still foggy — even to the customers themselves — the real challenge is shaping vague needs into concrete actions.
And that’s where visualizing the domain helps. To make sense of these abstract stages, I decided to capture the entire process in a diagram — not to finalize it, but to explore it visually. Here’s what that sketch looks like:
What this drawing shows isn’t just a list of services or a flow of data — it maps out the domains of work in the system:
- It shows the sequential flow of actions: from ownership and setup, through execution, to reporting or migration.
- It reveals relationships between parts of the system — which roles or components depend on others.
- It outlines boundaries of responsibility: authentication tasks, project configuration, execution, reporting, re-identification, and migration.
- And it does all this in a way that feels natural to look at — even for people who aren’t engineers.
Where UML often becomes rigid and over-structured, this drawing stayed loose and alive. I could move things around. Show intent without being boxed in by syntax. More importantly, the diagram communicated better — not just what exists in the system, but why and how the parts relate. That clarity helped spark the right conversations. Our team could see where one workflow ended and another began. We saw potential duplication. We realized which components were doing too much — or not enough.
Excalidraw isn’t just for documentation — it’s a thinking tool. It helps you map, reason, and communicate. It shortens meetings. It sparks the right conversations. And it helps everyone — regardless of role — walk away with the same understanding.
So next time you’re trying to explain something complex, skip the slide deck — and try picking up the pen instead !