Prototyping and usability testing of the toolbar were successful for several reasons. Visual Basic and MFC facilitated rapid development at low cost. Visual Basic, in particular, did not require much technical expertise. It also helped automate the test distribution and data gathering process. Finally, the toolbar feature was suitable for prototyping since it could run standalone, not requiring integration with the entire workflow system.
User generated rules determine the routing of items between worksteps.
Unlike other workflow tools, RouteBuilder provides a graphical interface for rule creation, and does not require users to program. Complex rules could be created, yet the interface was cumbersome. Rules were set via controls displayed dynamically based on context. Users could view and manipulate multiple rules simultaneously. RouteBuilder 2.0 Rules dialog RouteBuilder 3.0 expanded the scope of the rules, requiring the addition of interface elements to support new functionality.