Building Nova
An AI-Supported Executive Workflow System
AI Systems
Cloud Architecture
Portfolio Case Study
The Business Problem
Inbox Overload
Executives spend 2–3 hours daily triaging email — signal buried in noise
Fragmented Context
No unified layer connecting email, messaging, and business priorities
Manual Prioritization
High-judgment decisions wasted on low-value sorting tasks
The Opportunity
The challenge was not simply processing email. The challenge was creating a workflow that could:
Reduce executive decision fatigue
Surface high-priority actions
Preserve context across tools
Reduce manual triage
Fit naturally into existing workflows
Original Workflow
Before Nova, every step required manual intervention — no automation, no intelligence layer.
Each handoff introduced delay, context loss, and decision fatigue — compounding across dozens of daily messages.
Nova's Workflow Architecture
Separation of Concerns
Nova separates inbox processing from executive reasoning. The system first organizes and classifies incoming email, then supports higher-value workflows such as summaries, action prioritization, draft responses, and Slack-based business conversations.
Layer 1: Inbox Processing
Classifies, summarizes, and routes incoming email.
Layer 2: Executive Reasoning
Prioritizes actions, drafts responses, supports Slack conversations, and runs scheduled reviews.
Technology Decisions
Each technology was selected to solve a specific business or operational requirement.
Hermes Agent
Core reasoning and task orchestration engine
Slack API
Real-time executive interaction and alert delivery
Gmail OAuth + API
Secure inbox access, label management, threading
DigitalOcean VPS
Ubuntu 24.04 — always-on, production-grade hosting
SSH + SCP
Secure remote deployment and file transfer
Cron Scheduling
Automated timed workflows — daily reviews, batch processing
Technical Challenges Solved
1
OAuth Token Persistence
Implemented secure token refresh cycles to maintain authenticated Gmail access without repeated manual reauthorization.
2
Agent State Management
Designed scheduled execution loops that run reliably without carrying unstable state between jobs.
3
Label Conflict Resolution
Built logic to prevent already-classified email threads from being reprocessed or duplicated.
Cloud Migration
Production-Ready Deployment
Migrated from local macOS prototype to a persistent cloud VPS — zero downtime target, fully automated scheduling.
Skills Demonstrated
AI Agent Design
Multi-agent orchestration with clear separation of labeling and reasoning responsibilities
Cloud Infrastructure
End-to-end VPS provisioning, SSH hardening, environment configuration on Ubuntu 24.04
API Integration
Gmail OAuth 2.0 flows, Slack bot configuration, token lifecycle management
Workflow Automation
Cron-driven scheduling, idempotent batch processing, production-grade reliability
Business Impact
3
Email Classes
Needs Response, Review Later, Auto Delete — every message triaged automatically
~2hr
Daily Time Reclaimed
Estimated reduction in manual inbox triage and review
★
Revenue Signal Visibility
Sales opportunities, client requests, and high-value business messages are surfaced faster instead of getting buried in the inbox
100%
Autonomous Runtime
System operates on a schedule with no manual trigger required after deployment
1
Unified Interface
Slack serves as the single interaction layer for summaries, alerts, follow-up questions, and executive review
What This Project Demonstrates
Nova demonstrates the ability to identify a business problem, customize existing AI and automation tools, integrate business systems, and deliver a production-ready workflow.
The value was not building the most complex AI agent.
The value was creating a practical system that helps decision-makers find the right information, act faster, and protect business opportunities from getting lost in the noise.
The value was not building the most complex AI agent.
The value was creating a practical system that helps decision-makers find the right information, act faster, and protect business opportunities from getting lost in the noise.
1
Problem Definition
Mapped the operational pain point and business value.
2
Workflow Design
Customized AI-supported workflows across Gmail, Slack, and scheduled automation.
3
Production Deployment
Delivered a cloud-hosted system that runs automatically and supports ongoing executive review.