Automation refers to the technology by which a process or procedure is performed with minimal human assistance. It involves the use of various control systems for operating equipment such as machinery, processes in factories, boilers, and heat-treating ovens, switching on telephone networks, steering and stabilization of ships, aircraft, and other applications with minimal or reduced human intervention.
Automation can include the use of physical machines and also software systems that can perform tasks such as data entry, calculations, and even decision-making processes. It’s widely applied in industries like manufacturing, transportation, utilities, and information technology to increase efficiency, improve reliability, and reduce errors and labor costs. Automation is a key component of modern business processes and services, enhancing productivity and enabling innovation.
But there are 5 types of automation including Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Business Process Automation (BPA), Industrial Automation, AI-Driven Automation, and Workflow Automation. In particular, Way We Do’s focus is on business process, workflow and AI-driven automation types.
Way We Do’s Enhanced Automation
Way We Do, a leading business process management platform, has enhanced its automation capabilities to further streamline organizational workflows. New features include:
- Automated Activated Checklists: Automatically initiating a checklist when new team members are added to your Way We Do account (great for onboarding new team members) or when specific steps are completed, ensuring seamless transitions and continuous workflow.
- Scheduled Process Instances: Running processes based on a predefined schedule, allowing businesses to maintain consistency and timely execution without manual oversight.
- AI-Assisted Task Completion: AI Assistants integrated within Way We Do can perform steps of a process, with human oversight to ensure accuracy, combining the best of AI efficiency with human expertise.
These features are designed to help businesses automate routine tasks, free up human resources for more strategic activities, and ultimately enhance productivity and reliability.
Automation’s Role in Competitive Strategy
Jacqui Jones, CEO of Way We Do, recently discussed on the Disambiguation podcast — episode “Automation as a Competitive Advantage” – how automation is shaping the competitive landscape.
The host Michael Faucette and Jacqui Jones discuss…
- Challenges and Solutions in Automation: Addressing the biggest challenges that businesses face and how process automation and BPM aim to solve these.
- Strategic Automation: Advice for leaders on prioritizing automation to enhance operational efficiency and strategic outcomes.
- Human Role in an Automated World: The evolving role of human employees in automation, highlighting the need for skills that complement automated systems.
Choosing between programmatic automation and AI-based automation depends on the complexity of the tasks, the nature of the decisions to be made, the variability of the input data, and the goals of the automation itself.
Here’s a breakdown of when to use each type:
Programmatic Automation
To understand how automation can streamline straightforward, rule-based tasks, let’s delve into the world of programmatic automation.
It’s ideal for:
- Simple, Rule-Based Tasks: Use programmatic automation when the tasks are straightforward and can be defined by specific rules without ambiguity. This includes workflows like data entry, sending templated emails, or scheduling appointments.
- Stable Environments: When the processes don’t change frequently and involve routine actions that don’t require learning from past outcomes.
- High Reliability and Predictability: Situations where outcomes must be consistent and predictable, without the need for interpretation or adjustment based on new data.
- Lower Cost and Complexity: It’s generally less expensive and simpler to implement than AI automation, especially for small-scale or less complex automation needs.
Some examples are:
- Automating the generation of standard reports.
- Processing invoices based on fixed criteria.
- Automating responses to customer service inquiries with predefined answers.
AI Automation
Now, let’s explore how AI-driven automation can transform complex decision-making processes by adapting and learning from diverse and dynamic data sets.
It’s ideal for:
- Complex Decision-Making: AI is suitable when the task requires making decisions based on large volumes of data where patterns might not be immediately obvious or are too complex for straightforward algorithms.
- Dynamic Environments: In environments where conditions, parameters, or types of interactions constantly change, AI can adapt by learning from new data.
- Tasks Requiring Adaptation and Learning: AI can improve its performance over time through learning, making it ideal for applications like predictive maintenance, personalization of customer interactions, or financial forecasting.
- Handling Unstructured Data: AI excels at processing and deriving insights from unstructured data such as text, images, and audio.
Some examples are:
- Personalizing user experiences on a website based on user behavior and preferences.
- Voice-activated assistants that adapt to user preferences and accents.
- Predictive analytics in healthcare to customize patient treatment plans.
Considerations for Choosing
Before deciding which type of automation to implement, it’s crucial to consider several factors that will influence both the effectiveness and the efficiency of the chosen technology.
- Accuracy and Adaptability: AI can offer greater adaptability and accuracy for complex scenarios but might be an overkill for simple, repetitive tasks.
- Cost and Implementation: Programmatic automation is typically less expensive and easier to implement and maintain. AI requires more resources, including data, advanced programming expertise, and ongoing training of models.
- Return on Investment: Evaluate the potential improvement in outcomes from AI compared to the increased complexity and cost. If the incremental benefits are substantial, AI could be the better choice.
The choice between programmatic and AI automation should be guided by the nature of the tasks at hand, the complexity of decisions involved, and the specific business needs and strategic goals.
