AI engineering layers
Workflow orchestration
Definition
Coordinating a multi-step process so people, software, or AI agents run in the right order, share results, and recover when a step fails.
Visual example
Order manager = workflow orchestration
The kitchen connection
Think of the kitchen expediter who sends each ticket through prep, cooking, and plating, then reroutes a stalled dish.
The illustration connects the AI idea to something familiar. Follow the subject, the action, and the result to see how it works.
- 01 · Who or what
- Order manager = workflow orchestration
- 02 · What happens
- Routes jobs through each station
- 03 · The result
- Fixes stalls before serving
Why it matters
It turns separate steps into a dependable process by tracking handoffs, choosing what happens next, and handling failures.