How to choose a first automation

Start with a task people already understand.

A useful first project has a recognisable trigger, a repeatable sequence and a person who can judge the result. Document intake, enquiry organisation and content preparation can be candidates. A process that changes every day may need clarification before automation.

Draw the current path.

Write down what arrives, where it arrives, who touches it and what must happen next. Include exceptions: missing fields, unreadable files, duplicate requests and work that requires specialist judgment.

Define a small pilot.

Choose a limited input type, one team and a clear output. Agree a representative test set, the required checks, a manual fallback and the person who will accept the result. Decide what counts as useful before building.

Check the access and cost.

List the systems, subscriptions and permissions required. Distinguish implementation cost from API usage, hosting and support. A visually impressive demonstration is only the beginning of the business case.

Prepared by SOLA VIA as general project-planning guidance. Examples are illustrative.