Superset / Interface study 0113 September 2026

A clearer way
to create.

One creation menu. Manual first, with a pencil. AI second, with a bot. Both choices explain what happens next.

Automations · Header actions · Three directions
01

What’s getting in the way

Component: apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/components/FeatureHeader/FeatureHeader.tsx
Caller: automations/page.tsx · Shared primitives: @superset/ui/button and @superset/ui/dropdown-menu

Current Superset creation split button: Create with AI and an open dropdown containing New automation.
Your supplied crop. Its display scale is unknown; the code already uses a compact 32px button. This is primarily an action hierarchy problem.
1. The second creation path is hidden.

A one-item menu adds a discovery step to a core action. Put “Create manually” beside the primary action, using the existing ghost button.

2. The labels don’t describe parallel choices.

“Create with AI” describes a method; “New automation” describes an outcome shared by both. Use “Create with AI” and “Create manually.”

3. Both paths use the same plus icon.

The repeated symbol gives no extra cue about the difference. Use a small bot for the AI action, and let the manual action’s text carry its meaning.

02

Try three directions

Interactive sketches in Superset’s existing Ember palette. Click the controls to preview their intent; no automation is created. Background rows are illustrative.

Selected: C — creation menu, manual first.

Use a single “New automation” button. The first item is “Create manually” with a pencil icon; “Create with AI” follows with a bot. Keep the helper text under each label.

SUPERSET / AUTOMATIONSInteractive concept
Automations
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Choose an action to preview where it leads.

Both paths are one click away

A quiet text action followed by the primary AI button removes the extra menu interaction without adding another filled button.

Tradeoff

Uses more header width. Allow the action group to wrap below the title on narrow panes, preserving the labels.

03

Patterns worth borrowing

Atlassian Design System

Default action +
related alternatives

Atlassian defines a split button as a way to perform an action or choose from a small group of similar actions.

Apply to B: retain one-click AI creation when space is constrained. Name the arrow “More creation options” and clarify the manual item.

View split-button reference ↗
Notion

Name the
creation method

Notion documents ordinary database creation and an explicit “Build with AI” option in the creation menu.

Apply to A / C: distinguish AI and manual creation in words. If using a menu, add a short explanation of each route.

View creation flow ↗
Linear

Keep frequent
creation direct

Linear provides a global new-issue control and a keyboard shortcut for issue creation.

Apply to A: make frequent creation directly reachable. Consider shortcuts only after checking Superset’s existing bindings.

View issue-creation reference ↗

Research checked September 13, 2026. These are pattern interpretations from public first-party documentation, not replicas of those products. Mobbin was checked, but no relevant individual screen was verified through public access; no Mobbin screenshot is presented as evidence.

04

Keep the change small

DetailSuggested treatmentReuse from the repo
Action layoutOne New automation trigger. Manual is the first menu item; AI is second.DropdownMenu
Button scaleKeep 32px height and 14px text. Use the existing corner radius.Button size="sm"
Visual hierarchyPrimary fill on the trigger; both menu items use the same hover and focus treatment.bg-primary, text-primary-foreground, text-muted-foreground
Iconography16px pencil for manual, 16px bot for AI; 14px plus and chevron on the trigger.LuPencil / LuBot
Menu alternativesRight align, 4–6px offset; 240–256px width when helper text is included.DropdownMenuContent align="end" sideOffset={6} className="w-64"
Loading & focusPreserve each action’s pending state. Keep visible keyboard focus; announce progress.Existing disabled props and Button focus ring

Before · shared split action

<Button className="rounded-r-none">
  <LuPlus className="size-3.5" />
  <Trans>Create with AI</Trans>
</Button>
<DropdownMenu>
  … {secondaryAction.label}
</DropdownMenu>

After · selected direction C, structure only

<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button size="sm">
      <LuPlus /> New automation <LuChevronDown />
    </Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent align="end" className="w-64">
    <DropdownMenuItem>
      <LuPencil /> Create manually
    </DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem>
      <LuBot /> Create with AI
    </DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>

Excerpt omits helper text, Lingui wrappers, handlers, and conditional rendering. Preserve secondaryAction optionality, onCreate, onSelect, and both disabled states. Change the automation caller’s label to <Trans>Create manually</Trans>. The shared header’s other consumers need review before adoption.

Before shipping the product change