A system and method of configuring a graphical control structure for controlling a machine learning-based automated dialogue system includes configuring a root dialogue classification node that performs a dialogue intent classification task for utterance data input; configuring a plurality of distinct dialogue state classification nodes that are arranged downstream of the root dialogue classification node; configuring a graphical edge connection between the root dialogue classification node and the plurality of distinct state dialogue classification nodes that graphically connects each of the plurality of distinct state dialogue classification nodes to the root dialogue classification node, wherein (i) the root dialogue classification node, (ii) the plurality of distinct classification nodes, (iii) and the transition edge connections define a graphical dialogue system control structure that governs an active dialogue between a user and the machine learning-based automated dialogue system.