Automation definition

The dictionary defines automation as the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically (Merriam-Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automation). That's a bit generic for our purposes, so let's consider it in an IT context so that we can make that more applicable to this domain. Automation is the use of repeated instructions to create a process that replaces previously used human intervention in order to accomplish a task. There, that's a bit better, right?

It has become a buzzword in our modern era, and its application has re-shaped the ways that we interact and live within our world. From home appliances to robotic rovers on other worlds, automation has found its way into the fabric of our technical and social world. In a world driven by speed, connectivity, and efficiency, it's not hard to see why it's become such a central focus of many organizations and technologies today.

One of the more obvious consequences from this transformative concept, and one relevant to this book, has been the dramatic shift in the ways that both business and individuals communicate and interact with each other in emerging digital spaces. As the rate at which aspects of our lives occur within these spaces increases, so has the expectations for instantaneous communication and services tailored to the personalized needs of individuals.

This has presented challenges for sure, but has also created tremendous opportunities for organizations that have embraced this digital transformation and have sought to redefine their business and processes to operate in this space.

This digital transformation has been critical for businesses to meet emerging customer demands and expectations, and has become a requirement to compete in this new global, digital world. This does not come without cost, however, and businesses today must be more cognizant than ever before of how their organization uses technology, both internally and externally.

One of the key components and performance multipliers in digital transformation is automation. Incorporating automation as a central feature in business processes, aside from introducing an innovative mindset to an organization, introduces efficiency in costs and performance that can have dramatic impacts when well planned and thoughtfully applied. In that vein, let's move onward to learn about the different opportunities and pitfalls that come along with automation.