Use case developmentSolution DesignerTutorial: Create your first diagram

Tutorial: Create your first diagram

In this tutorial, you will create a simple diagram representing a common data integration pattern. The pattern includes connecting to an external system, transforming data, building an ontology, and creating a user-facing application.

By the end of this tutorial, you will know how to:

Add component nodes to your diagram.
Create connections between nodes.
Group related nodes together.
Save your diagram.

Create a new diagram

Navigate to Solution Designer in your Foundry enrollment.
Select New diagram from the home screen.
An empty canvas opens where you can start building your diagram by adding nodes, loading a graph from Data Lineage, or exploring reference examples.

Add your first nodes

Follow the instructions in the sections below to build a diagram that shows data flowing from an external system through Foundry and into a Workshop application.

Add an external system node

Select the Component button in the upper left toolbar or press Cmd/Ctrl + B to open the component search and selection modal.
Select External system from the left panel in the component search and selection modal.
Choose the relevant External system type, such as Data Store or File Store, and the node appears on your canvas.

Add a data sourcing node and connect it to your external system node

Next, add a node to represent how Foundry connects to the external system.

Open the component search and selection modal (Cmd/Ctrl + B).
Search for and add a Data sourcing node, such as Data Connector or Data Connection Agent.
Hover over the External system node's right connection handle.
Click and drag to the Data sourcing node's left connection handle.

Complete the data flow

Continue building the diagram by adding the following nodes in sequence:

Dataset: Open the component search and selection modal, search for and select Dataset.
Pipeline Builder: Add a Pipeline Builder node to represent data transformation.
Dataset: Add another Dataset node to represent the transformed data.
Object type: Select the Resource button in the top left toolbar, choose New object node, and select an object type from your ontology. You can also create a generic object node not linked to an existing object type if you prefer.
Workshop: Add a Workshop node to represent the user-facing application.
User group: Add a User Group node to represent a group of users and tasks they need to perform.

Your first diagram in Solution Designer.

Your diagram now shows a complete data integration and application workflow.

To organize your diagram, group the data transformation components together.

Create a group

Hold Cmd (macOS) or Ctrl (Windows) and select the Pipeline Builder node.
Continue holding Cmd/Ctrl and select the Dataset node immediately after Pipeline Builder, which represents transformed data.
Validate that both nodes display highlighted borders, indicating they have been selected.
Select the Group button to the left of Add Text node in the diagram toolbar.
A group container is created around the two selected nodes.

Name the group

Select the newly created Group on your canvas.
Choose the default Group label to provide the group with a descriptive name, such as Data Transformation.
Select anywhere on your canvas outside the group's borders and Save your changes.

Your diagram now has a logical grouping that makes it easier to understand your workflow's architecture.

Add descriptions and context

Add node descriptions

You can add notes to individual nodes to document their purpose:

Select the Pipeline Builder node.
Choose Enter description... and add a description, such as: Cleanses and transforms raw data into business-ready datasets.
Repeat this process for other key nodes in your diagram.

Add a text node for comments

To add general comments to your diagram:

Select the Add Text node button in the upper left toolbar, and a text node appears on your canvas.
Select Double click to edit to edit the text.
Enter a description of your diagram, such as: This diagram represents our core data integration pattern for external vendor data.
Select and drag the text node to position it near the top of your diagram.

Save your diagram

Now that your diagram is complete, save it to the Foundry filesystem:

Select Save in Solution Designer header.
A Save modal renders if this is your first save, where you can enter a File name, such as First Diagram, and choose a save Location.
Select Save to complete the save process.

Completed diagram in Solution Designer.

Your diagram is now saved and will auto-save as you make future changes. Select Draft saved from the file header to view a modal with additional information about your auto-saved draft.

Next steps

Now that you have created your first Solution Designer diagram, continue exploring its features and capabilities by:

Exploring reference patterns: Select Reference Diagrams in the navigation bar on the left side of your screen to browse pre-built industry and technical patterns.
Linking resources: Select nodes in your diagram and use the Link resource button in the node toolbar to connect them to actual Foundry datasets, pipelines, or applications.
Using AIP Architect: Try AIP Architect to generate workflow plans based on your requirements.
Reviewing your diagram: Use AIP Critic to get AI-powered feedback on your architecture.
Customizing your diagram's view: Open Graph Settings to experiment with different display options, such as icons-only mode or edge animation.

For more details on diagram features and capabilities, see Diagrams.

Tips

Start conceptually: Begin with high-level components and refine later. You do not need to specify exact datasets or pipelines in your first draft.
Use groups liberally: Group nodes by function (for example, "Data Ingestion", "Processing Layer", "Application Layer") to make complex diagrams easier to navigate.
Leverage patterns: Browse the reference architecture library for proven patterns that match your use case. You can load a pattern and customize it rather than starting from scratch.
Iterate with feedback: Use AIP Critic to validate your design, then refine based on suggestions.
Think about layers: Organize your diagram in logical layers from left to right (data sources → ingestion → processing → ontology → applications → users) for easy comprehension.