Advanced Concepts
Automation paradox
Automation reducing everyday human involvement while making the remaining unusual problems harder for people to handle.
Example
An operator rarely handles normal cases but must respond to a difficult exception.
Why people use it
It helps teams prepare for difficult exceptions left after routine work is automated.
What you'll hear
“People now handle only the cases the automation can't manage.”
What this means for you
Design training and fallback procedures for the cases people still need to handle.
Can you control it?
No
No direct control. This describes a wider issue, concept or result rather than something you can simply switch on or off in a tool.
Common questions
- Does more automation remove the need to maintain human skills?
- No. Exceptional situations can require strong understanding and practice.
- Why can rare exceptions be harder for people?
- They may be out of practice and have little background information when an unusual problem suddenly needs attention.
- Can a smooth everyday service hide the problem?
- Yes. Weaknesses in human backup may remain unnoticed until an exceptional case occurs.