Making automation useful

A practical way to choose what to automate first.

Automation works best when the process is already understood. A clear, reliable small workflow is a better starting point than a large process with many exceptions.

Map the current process

Write down the trigger, each action and the final result. Identify where information comes from and who approves changes.

Choose a narrow pilot

Start with work that is frequent and easy to check. Keep manual review for exceptions and make failures visible.

Improve before expanding

Collect feedback from the people using the workflow. Remove unnecessary steps, then automate the parts that remain.