The 5 Automation Implementation Mistakes That Derail IT Ops (and How to Avoid Them)
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Automation has become more than just a "nice to have" choice. It's an essential part of the modern business landscape, promising increased efficiency, reduced costs, and improved accuracy. However, despite its potential benefits, many organizations struggle when trying to implement automation. In this article, we'll explore some of the most common implementation mistakes we've encountered and how to navigate them effectively.
- Treating automation like a one-size-fits-all fix: only automate work that’s repetitive, rule-based, and high-volume (password resets and access approvals are good first targets).
- Skipping rigorous testing: test end-to-end before launch and keep testing after deployment to avoid outages and workflow breakage.
- Picking the wrong tool: choose tech that fits your environment, scales, and integrates cleanly instead of forcing a mismatched platform.
- Trying to automate everything at once: start with small, manageable wins (service desk requests), then scale into bigger workflows.
- Not measuring impact or iterating: track KPIs like ticket deflection, MTTR, and exception rates to prove value and catch failures early.
1. Treating Automation Like a One-Size-Fits-All Fix
Automation isn’t always the solution. One common misconception is viewing automation as a one-size-fits-all solution. While automation can undoubtedly streamline processes and boost productivity, it's essential to recognize that not every task or process will be suitable for automation.
Before diving headfirst into automation, take the time to evaluate whether the process in question is repetitive, rule-based, and high-volume. If not, manual intervention or other solutions may be more appropriate.
High-volume requests like password resets and access approvals are often the safest first automations because the rules and outcomes are clear.
2. Skipping Rigorous Testing
Testing is a critical aspect of automation implementation that should not be overlooked. Rushing into automation without thorough testing can lead to unforeseen errors, glitches, or even system failures.
To avoid this, prioritize comprehensive testing at every stage of the automation journey, from development to deployment and ongoing maintenance. This ensures that the automation solution functions as intended and delivers optimal results without disrupting existing workflows.
3. Picking the Wrong Tool
Another common pitfall is choosing the wrong automation tool or technology. It's easy to become enamored with a solution without considering whether it aligns with your organization's specific needs, requirements, goals, and infrastructure. As the saying goes, "Don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole."
Instead, take the time to carefully research and evaluate different automation tools, considering factors such as scalability, compatibility, and ease of integration. Investing in the right tool from the outset can save time, money, and headaches down the road.
4. Trying to Automate Everything at Once
While the large-scale potential of automation may be enticing, it’s essential to start small and scale gradually. Trying to automate complex processes or entire workflows all at once can be overwhelming and exponentially increase the risk of failure.
Start by identifying small, manageable tasks or processes that can benefit from automation and focus on optimizing them first. As you gain confidence and experience, you can expand automation initiatives to tackle more significant challenges and drive greater efficiencies across the organization. If you want an easy example of “small and manageable” in IT, routine service desk requests are often the quickest first win, which is why I’d link out to service desk automation.
5. Not Measuring Impact or Iterating
Finally, don’t overlook the importance of measuring the impact of automation and continuously seeking opportunities for improvement. Establish clear metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the success of your automation efforts objectively. Monitor these metrics regularly and use them to identify areas where automation is delivering value as well as opportunities for refinement or further optimization.
Measure ticket deflection, time-to-resolution (MTTR), and exception rates so you can prove impact and spot failures early as you scale.
By adopting a mindset of continuous process improvement, you can ensure that your automation initiatives remain aligned with your company's goals and objectives over time.
In conclusion, while automation holds tremendous potential for organizations looking to streamline processes and boost efficiency, it's essential to approach implementation in a thoughtful and strategical manner. By avoiding common pitfalls such as those listed above, organizations can maximize the benefits of automation while minimizing the risks. With careful planning, execution, and ongoing evaluation, automation can be a powerful tool for driving innovation and growth in today's competitive business environment.
Other Common IT Automation Use Cases to Start with
Start with high-volume, repeatable workflows like password resets, access requests, and tier 1 ticket triage, then expand into closed-loop incident response to reduce MTTR. To map your first automation to the right path, start with Password Resets & Access Management or ITSM automation, then build into AIOps as you scale.
All in all, avoiding these automation mistakes has an effect greater than the sum of their parts. Being deliberate about your automation initiative improves processes, yes, but it also culminates in meaningful experience improvement for your employees and, ultimately, your customers. This improvement is what separates industry leaders from industry laggards while also strengthening your bottom line.
Ready to streamline your IT ops and supercharge automation implementation?
