Lessons Learned on Automation

I’m wrapping up a not-quite two month software project right now and we’re in the midst of finalizing with stakeholders, doing retrospectives, and digesting all that has happened. During the project I kept copious notes and I can make a few definitive comments:

1. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, standardizing and automating — especially automating — your systems will make everything better.

2. It’s worth having technical experts who can communicate well on your team. Either cultivate within your org or hire consultants from the outside.

3. You may have thought you had enough information at the start, but you never really do. Keep asking questions and getting clarity on everything until you, your client, and your contributors are on the same page. And then expect to keep turning to a new page.

These things may seem obvious, but I’ve worked on too many projects where, in the interest of time, money, or both, they skip one or more of these steps, only for the project to cost more money and take a longer time.

The beauty of #1 and #2 is that they can be worked on well in advance of any new project; there should be ongoing efforts to refine your systems and your talent at all times. Why?

Because having #1 and #2 in place make #3 a LOT easier. There’s comfort in knowing that a small tweak to the system can positively cascade quickly, turning perhaps multiple days of effort into just hours (or even minutes) instead and that you can rely on the professionalism and insight of your contributors.

Not all went perfectly, but our ability to adapt to hiccups and emergencies was leagues above other projects where systems weren’t as well-defined or communications skills perhaps a bit lackluster (and this goes for the client too… they play a role as significant stakeholders).

It was an absolute pleasure to work again on a project where the team could focus on the needs of the client rather than be bogged down in the intricacies of the technologies used.