What to Automate First
The one that is high-volume, rule-based, repetitive, error-prone, and already painful, with a clear measurable baseline. Boring beats impressive: a fast, provable win funds the harder automations, while an ambitious first project stalls and kills momentum.
The candidate scorecard
Score each candidate on volume, rule-clarity, repeatability, error cost, and baseline measurability. The process that scores high on all five is your first automation, regardless of how unglamorous it is.
- Volume, does it happen many times a day or week? Frequency multiplies the saving.
- Rule clarity, can the logic be written down? If it needs constant judgment, it is a later candidate.
- Error cost, do mistakes here cost real money or trust? High error cost raises the payback.
- Measurability, can you record the before-state? No baseline, no provable ROI.
Why the first win must be provable
The first automation is not just about the hours it saves, it is the proof that funds the program. A measurable early win builds the political and budget momentum to tackle harder processes.
The unglamorous, high-frequency process is the perfect first target precisely because its baseline is obvious and its payback is fast. Save the ambitious, complex automation for after you have proof and credibility.
Frequently asked questions.
Should I start with my most complex process?
No. Start with a high-volume, well-understood, measurable process. Complex processes carry more risk and slower payback, tackle them after an early, provable win has earned the budget and trust to fund them.