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The thing about automation is that it is really hard to automate workflows completely while getting everything right. One approach I like is the "Pareto automat

The thing about automation is that it is really hard to automate workflows completely while getting everything right. One approach I like is the "Pareto automation"[0]. Normally, you can automate the most fragile or tedious parts of a workflow with little effort and keep doing everything else manually. Also, sometimes you don't even need automation, you just need a checklist. [0]: https://ricardoanderegg.com/posts/musings-thoughts-software-automation/#paretohttpsenwikipediaorgwikipareto_principle-automation https://ricardoanderegg.com/posts/musings-thoughts-software-...

latexr 4y ago
> Normally, you can automate the most fragile or tedious parts of a workflow with little effort and keep doing everything else manually. Also, sometimes you don't even need automation, you just need a checklist. That’s what the post’s approach gives you: a checklist you run in order, with some steps automated.
urthor 4y ago
My favorite trick is simple. I don't "fully" automate. I partially automate, then build my workflows from these composite parts. Composition. For a start, I file all my bash scripts/notes/snippets in Vimwiki. Zettelkasten is truly brilliant. Then... I write almost everything I do INTO Vimwiki (git is for programs, Vimwiki is for snipppets. Vimwiki is managed with Chezmoi). Hence, whenever I need to do... anything... I can build that workflow out of past snippets from the Vimwiki filing system. Over time, my workplace and home workflows are automated. You know it's automated once you find a "set" composition, you use for 2 weeks straight without variation. I only bundle "set" workflows, which haven't changed, into discrete scripts.
wruza 4y ago
Checklists may sound dumb and boring, but they are actually great! They make it easy to just do the job and not think much about its structure, somehow reducing overall tediousness. Checklists together with snippets in some sort of a knowledge base (I simply use OBTF.txt with folds) help with processes that are too hard to automate timely and/or completely. This also enables gradual automation and knowledge collection rather than living in all-or-nothing world. Also, I find it very useful when your knowledge base grows without being shaped for and nailed down to a specific project with its own quirks. It becomes your own well-commented stdlib for doing things.
- theK 4y ago
  I also love the idea of having the hard to automate stuff be encoded in checklists (or creating checklists as a first step in formalizing a process). My biggest issue was that every time I looked there weren't tools around that would support this. If there was a web based, multi user tool (ideally open source) that allows you to define checklists and then have multiple "instantiations" of them to produce some form of paper trail of the execution that would be great!

latexr 4y ago

> Normally, you can automate the most fragile or tedious parts of a workflow with little effort and keep doing everything else manually. Also, sometimes you don't even need automation, you just need a checklist. That’s what the post’s approach gives you: a checklist you run in order, with some steps automated.

urthor 4y ago

My favorite trick is simple. I don't "fully" automate. I partially automate, then build my workflows from these composite parts. Composition. For a start, I file all my bash scripts/notes/snippets in Vimwiki. Zettelkasten is truly brilliant. Then... I write almost everything I do INTO Vimwiki (git is for programs, Vimwiki is for snipppets. Vimwiki is managed with Chezmoi). Hence, whenever I need to do... anything... I can build that workflow out of past snippets from the Vimwiki filing system. Over time, my workplace and home workflows are automated. You know it's automated once you find a "set" composition, you use for 2 weeks straight without variation. I only bundle "set" workflows, which haven't changed, into discrete scripts.

wruza 4y ago

Checklists may sound dumb and boring, but they are actually great! They make it easy to just do the job and not think much about its structure, somehow reducing overall tediousness. Checklists together with snippets in some sort of a knowledge base (I simply use OBTF.txt with folds) help with processes that are too hard to automate timely and/or completely. This also enables gradual automation and knowledge collection rather than living in all-or-nothing world. Also, I find it very useful when your knowledge base grows without being shaped for and nailed down to a specific project with its own quirks. It becomes your own well-commented stdlib for doing things.

theK 4y ago
I also love the idea of having the hard to automate stuff be encoded in checklists (or creating checklists as a first step in formalizing a process). My biggest issue was that every time I looked there weren't tools around that would support this. If there was a web based, multi user tool (ideally open source) that allows you to define checklists and then have multiple "instantiations" of them to produce some form of paper trail of the execution that would be great!