How to choose the first process worth automating in your company
Pick a process that is repetitive, high-volume, rule-based, and painful today. It should run often, follow clear rules (so it's safe to automate), and cost real time or errors now. Avoid starting with rare, judgment-heavy, or constantly-changing processes.
What makes a process a good first candidate?
- It repeats often (daily or weekly)
- It follows clear, stable rules
- It currently costs real time or causes errors
- Its data already exists in a usable form
What should you avoid automating first?
Rare processes (little payback), judgment-heavy decisions (better kept human), and processes that change every week (you'd be automating a moving target). Start where the rules are stable and the volume is real.
How do you keep control after automating?
Keep humans in charge of important decisions and add alerts for exceptions. Good automation moves data and handles the routine — while surfacing anything unusual for a person to review.
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