Don't Automatea Broken Process.
Automation can make a process faster. But if the process is poorly designed, automation can simply make the problem happen faster.
BROKEN PROCESS
BETTER PROCESS
The first question should not be: 'What can we automate?'
The better question is: 'What should the process look like if we were designing it today?'
Automate the current process
A faster version of the same problem.
Improve before automating
A simpler process with targeted automation.
Automation optimizes execution.
Process improvement optimizes the work itself.
REMOVE
Eliminate work that creates no value.
SIMPLIFY
Reduce complexity where work remains.
AUTOMATE
Use technology where it creates value.
What makes a process a candidate for improvement?
Before selecting an automation technology, look for the characteristics that make the process inefficient in the first place.
Unnecessary Approvals
Multiple approval layers may exist because of historical decisions rather than current business need.
Duplicate Work
The same information may be entered, checked, or communicated multiple times.
Manual Handoffs
Work can wait between teams because ownership and transitions are unclear.
Poor Inputs
Automation cannot compensate for incomplete, inconsistent, or poorly structured inputs.
Outdated Rules
Old business rules may remain in a process long after the original reason disappears.
Unclear Ownership
Processes become slow when nobody clearly owns the decision or outcome.
If we automate this process exactly as it exists today, what problem will remain?
A Business Analyst should challenge the 'why' behind every important step
Current-state processes are often treated as fixed. They should instead be treated as hypotheses that need to be understood and tested.
Why does this step exist?
Ask before automatingWho actually needs this information?
Ask before automatingDoes this approval add value?
Ask before automatingCan two activities be combined?
Ask before automatingCan this step be removed?
Ask before automatingIs the decision rule still valid?
Ask before automatingWho owns the outcome?
Ask before automatingWhat happens if we do nothing?
Ask before automatingCan the user provide this information once?
Ask before automatingIs technology actually the answer?
Ask before automatingManager approval
Required because the process has always required it.
Rule-based approval
Approval only required when the defined risk condition is triggered.
The future-state process should be simpler than the current state
Do not digitize every existing step. Redesign the journey around the business outcome and user need.
CURRENT STATE
FUTURE STATE
STEP REMOVED
Eliminate unnecessary activity.
HANDOFFS
Reduce unnecessary movement.
CLEAR OWNER
Make accountability explicit.
Not everything should be automated
The strongest automation candidates are activities that are repetitive, predictable, rule-driven, measurable, and expensive or error-prone when performed manually.
Repetitive Tasks
High-volume activities with predictable execution.
Rule-Based Decisions
Decisions with clear and stable business rules.
Data Movement
Transferring information between known systems.
Notifications
Standard alerts, reminders and status communication.
Validation
Consistent checks that can be expressed as rules.
Status Updates
Routine changes triggered by known events.
If the answer is no at any stage, automation may not be the right solution.
Automation is successful only when the business outcome improves
A faster process is useful. A better business outcome is the real objective.
5 days
2 days
How long does the process take end to end?
14 steps
7 steps
How much human effort remains?
8%
2%
Are errors actually reducing?
9
3
How many transitions remain?
The Business Analyst should protect the problem, not just deliver the solution
The BA's responsibility is to keep the business problem and expected outcome visible throughout transformation.
Understand
Document the current state and uncover the real business problem.
Challenge
Question assumptions, unnecessary steps and outdated rules.
Design
Help stakeholders define a simpler and more effective future state.
Translate
Convert business needs into requirements, rules and acceptance criteria.
Align
Create shared understanding between business, process and technology teams.
Measure
Ensure the solution is evaluated against meaningful business outcomes.
Don't ask:“How do we automate this?”
Ask:“How should this work?”
UNDERSTAND
CHALLENGE
SIMPLIFY
IMPROVE
AUTOMATE
MEASURE
Fix the process.
Then automate it.
The best automation is not the one that removes the most human effort. It is the one that removes unnecessary effort while improving the business outcome.