Good decisions tend to start with specific questions. Here are a few that are worth asking before the work begins.
01. Start with repetition
Look for work done frequently and in the same order: copying a lead into a tracker, routing a new request or sending a reminder. Map the trigger, input and intended result before choosing software.
02. Design for exceptions
Real data is untidy. A form may have missing fields; an integration may time out; a duplicate record may already exist. Decide which conditions should stop the process, retry it or notify a person.
03. Keep approvals where needed
A system can prepare a response, summarise a case or suggest a next action without sending it automatically. Sensitive decisions, unusual cases and irreversible actions often deserve explicit review.
04. Make it observable
Someone should know whether the process ran, what it changed and where it failed. Logs, sensible alerts and a simple way to rerun a step can matter more than adding another clever feature.
05. Measure what changed
Compare the manual steps and time spent before and after. The goal is not automation for its own sake; it is fewer errors, less repetitive effort and a better experience for staff or customers.