Is the process understood?
Record the trigger, inputs, decision rules, owner, and completion condition. Include exceptions and steps that rely on tacit knowledge.
Systems Dex / insights
A practical automation readiness checklist
Five questions to ask before committing to a build.
Clarity before complexity05 perspectives
Can you measure the baseline?
Measure frequency, handling time, rework, and delays. Use your own evidence rather than a generic industry percentage to estimate potential value.
Are the dependencies dependable?
Confirm API access, permissions, data quality, tool ownership, and rate limits. Define a fallback for unavailable services.
Is the risk appropriate?
Use a bounded first release. Keep irreversible or high-impact actions behind approval gates and agree how to recover from failure.
Who operates it after launch?
Assign owners for monitoring, exceptions, content updates, and credential renewal. Budget for maintenance, not only initial development.