Do we Add Automation out of Necessity or out of FOMO?
Organizations should also consider the value added due to automation from an end-user perspective.
This week, I went to the airport to see off my sister for her domestic flight.
A new process named “DigiYatra” was introduced at the airport for passenger check-ins. I have a little knowledge about this process. I just observed my sister’s trajectory following this new process.
I was standing among the people who had come to bid goodbyes to their near and dear ones. We kept following our dear ones until they moved away from our sight, which happened when they stepped inside the airport building.
The earlier process for getting an entry inside the airport building was like this:
An airport authority personnel stands at the Entry gates. He manually checks the air tickets and the Photo ID card of each traveler. He verifies that the picture in the photo ID matches the person’s face and that the name on the ID matches the name imprinted on the air ticket/boarding pass. Total time for completion: 30 s, Staff: 1
Let’s check the newly introduced DigiYatra process:
It was only for people who had an E-Boarding pass.
First Queue: One airport staff checks the E-boarding pass of the passenger and scans it on a QR scanner. A camera also takes the traveler’s face pic. Both these steps would have added the traveler’s details to the system. Total time for completion: 30 s, Staff: 1
Second Queue: Another airport staff manually checks the Photo ID card. Total time for completion: 10 s, Staff: 1
Third Queue: One airport staff again scans the E-boarding Pass. If the person’s details are added to the system (steps followed in Queues 1 and 2), the Automatic passenger gates will open. The traveler goes inside the Airport building. Total time for completion: 30 s, Staff: 1
The total time in The DigiYatra process: 1min 10 sec, staff Required: 3
I could only observe this process till the airport entry point. I am sure the data collected from this entry point would be used at other interaction points like the check-in counters, security, and boarding gates.
Earlier, the time for airport entry was 30 sec, and it only required one person in that process. With the DigiYatra, the airport entry time has increased to 1min 10 sec, and three staff persons are needed. Not to forget, the added infrastructure costs for the QR scanner machine and the Automatic passenger gates required in this new process.
The Entry time more than doubled, and the airport staff needed to handle travelers tripled in this process.
As my sister moved from one queue to another, I wondered how this automation or digitization benefitted an end user. At least until the airport premises entry, the data I compiled above shows a different picture.
Did the higher authorities or the process owners periodically analyze the value added to new processes?
I am neither an expert in this process nor have all the data points from this process as I could only observe this process until the airport entry point.
But as an end-user (on behalf of my sister) and till the airport entry, I could see three friction points in this process: 2 additional queues, increased processing time, and extra staff persons.
These observations demand an answer to some crucial questions.
Do we add automation out of necessity or out of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)?
- Do we introduce automation because it is more beneficial than manual work?
- Do we bring automation because all other organizations are heavily invested in automating their processes?
In my opinion, the objective of introducing automation should not be just for digitization, analysis and predictions. But these automations should also enhance the overall user experience.
If it doesn’t add value, it’s waste. — Henry Ford
I was talking to a friend, and he shared an interesting example of how one of the earlier automations has hugely benefitted humankind. When the banks introduced ATMs (Automated Teller Machines), it reduced the work for bank officials, as they had one less customer request for service. But at the same time, the ATM has also largely benefitted their customers. Now, they have the freedom and flexibility to withdraw cash at their convenience, time, and place.
This is an ideal case for automation where both the service provider and the service consumer reap the benefits of introducing automation to the existing process.
Nowadays, we are seeing a surge in ChatGPT and Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) projects. Everyone is going gaga over these two buzzwords. Undoubtedly, some of the projects related to ChatGPT are good, hence duly getting worldwide attention and recognition.
But a few projects/use cases are also being initiated out of FOMO on ChatGPT. These projects are started without any benefit analysis vs. the cost of putting ChatGPT in the business stream.
To overcome such issues, we must collaborate between the change makers (providers) and change bearers (consumers). The organizations need to ensure that the end user is reaping benefits from the advancements in the AI field.
The new technology should not be dumped on the end-users just because the technical team gets satisfaction by working on the cutting-edge technology. Or because the company feels it will get an early adopter advantage among its peers by using a new technology.
The organization should also consider the value added due to automation from an end-user perspective. This should be the ultimate check for any innovation, whether automation or artificial intelligence.
