Which manual service step should you automate first?
Look for repeated work with clear rules and inspectable results, not merely the task you dislike most. Retain exceptions and judgement-heavy work while checking that delivery still meets the original promise.
Prioritise from actual records
- Record steps and effort across real deliveries.
- Identify repeated work with consistent inputs.
- Test a small section using example data. Formatting registration fields may be a better starting point than interpreting special participant needs.
Compare before replacing
Run a non-sensitive example through both methods and list omissions or errors. If extensive correction is always needed, clarify the rules or retain manual handling. A few successful cases do not justify transferring decisions that require accountable human judgement.
What to do with your observation
| Observation | Next action |
|---|---|
| Stable rules with checkable output | Test a small section alongside the manual process. |
| Many exceptions requiring judgement | Retain human handling and clarify responsibility first. |
A worksheet you can use
Step: __. Frequency: __. Effort: __. Rules: __. Exceptions: __. Manual comparison: __. Reversal: __.
Should the longest task always come first?
No. Many exceptions or costly errors may make better inputs or coordination a more useful first change.
Evidence and scope
This is general process planning, not guidance for high-stakes automated decisions or a tool-security guarantee.
Graham discusses early manual work. These procedures are original. Paul Graham (2013) — Do Things that Don’t Scale
Sources and further reading
This collection in Chinese and English · Life possibilities library
