One of the joys I relish is automating tasks that don’t require my ongoing attention. This process, resembles the setting a trap in a story.

Several times a week, a cronjob I setup a couple of months ago it’s activated, by itself, as a cell that wants to live, just to run a meaningful already curated process inside our organization. What I do? I just monitor a log file in the process. If no errors show up, it allows me to focus on what I truly enjoy.

At times, automating heavy-burden tasks is not just convenient but a significant enhancement. Yet, the appeal of automation is tempered by its limitations.

Proper automation should be implemented when every requirement has been met, however this is not always a feasiable scenario, leaving us with nothing behind but the smooth execution of a script.

One might think that in software, automation would be common. Yet, this is not the case.

While it’s possible to automate the creation of documentation and enablers for workflows, fully automating daily tasks is impractical because they require a flexibility that scripted automation cannot provide unless all requirements, checks and tests has been met.

As each week unfolds, changes occur. Requirements are revised, necessitating not only adjustments to the automation workflows but also to the associated tests, steps, and the swath of documentation generated automatically.

Ironically, the effort to safeguard against the need for such automation often exceeds the work it would take to manually manage the changes as they arise.

The distinction between automation and delegation is subtle yet significant. Automating involves transferring responsibilities to a system or script—a static delegate. True delegation involves entrusting tasks to another person, ideally one who possesses the discernment and adaptability that a script lacks.

As Peter Drucker articulated, effective communication rivals the efficacy of automation. Only at the end of a project, where the incremental benefits of automation match the initial investment, does it fully justify its implementation.

Before deciding to automate, consider the time you will spend doing other stuff and how your automation will enable the adaptability of the solution you want to put in place. Will this automation withstand the test of time? Or will changes make it obsolete?

Focus on automating the peripheries—sanity checks, validations, and documentation. These support the central elements of your workflow.

In essence, automation, when correctly applied, enhances productivity. However, it shouldn’t replace the creative and adaptive human spirit.