---
name: Workflow Automation
description: Automate the repetitive; keep humans on judgment.
---
# Workflow Automation

Automate work that's repeated, rule-based, and error-prone when manual. Keep humans on judgment, exceptions, and relationships — where they add value automation can't.

## Method
- **Map first, automate second.** Automating a broken process just makes it break faster. Fix the process, then automate the fixed version.
- **Identify the candidates.** Volume × repetition × rule-based = automate. One-off, judgment-heavy = human.
- **Build the happy path; handle exceptions explicitly.** Most automation fails at the edges; design the escape hatch where a human takes over.
- **Monitor, don't forget.** Automated processes fail silently. Alert on anomalies (throughput drops, error spikes).

## Avoid
- Automating across a fragile integration. The automation inherits the fragility, at machine speed.