Why Automating a Broken Business Process Often Fails
Automation can make a process faster without making it better. That distinction matters.
Discuss your business challenge →Waste can become embedded at scale
Consider a document approval workflow with duplicated checks and incomplete inputs. Automating notifications might reduce waiting time, but it does not eliminate duplicate approvals or missing information. Faster circulation of defects is not operational excellence.
A better decision sequence
First define customer value. Map actual work and exceptions. Remove needless steps. Stabilise inputs and standardise decisions. Only then test automation and AI against simpler alternatives.
What to measure
Baseline hand-offs, end-to-end time, errors, rework and cost. After a pilot, include exception rates, review burden and maintenance—not just software throughput.
When AI genuinely helps
AI can support classification of varied documents, summarise evidence and assist a reviewer. Controls and human oversight remain important, particularly with confidential business material.
Author and methodology
Honeywell Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt; CQI/IRCA ISO 9001 Lead Auditor; Chartered Quality Professional (CQP MCQI); Certified ScrumMaster. Verify credentials on LinkedIn.