"A Process Has to Earn the Right to Be Automated" — Karen Martin on AI Readiness
Why It Matters
Ensuring processes are mature before automation prevents waste amplification, maximizes ROI on AI investments, and enables teams to focus on strategic tasks.
Key Takeaways
- •Automate only after process is stable and standardized.
- •Unstable processes cause waste to move faster when automated.
- •Distinguish automation (rule‑based) from AI (decision‑making) to avoid confusion.
- •Apply a readiness test: assess consistency, quality, and improvement potential.
- •Use TKMG Academy courses to build process literacy before automation.
Summary
The discussion, led by process‑improvement expert Karen Martin, tackles a persistent pitfall: organizations rushing to automate before their underlying workflows are stable. Martin warns that AI enthusiasm can turn inefficient processes into faster‑moving waste, urging firms to let processes "earn the right to be automated."
Key insights include the need for a concrete readiness test that evaluates consistency, quality, and the potential for improvement. She differentiates automation—rule‑based instruction—from AI, which makes decisions, emphasizing that only mature, repeatable processes should be handed over to either technology.
Memorable remarks such as "A process has to earn the right to be automated" and "automating waste just makes the waste move faster" underscore the point. Martin also highlights her TKMG Academy community of practice, offering courses on process literacy and stake‑proofing to help teams redesign before digitizing.
For businesses, the implication is clear: invest in process maturity and training first, then apply automation or AI. This disciplined approach reduces costly rework, safeguards ROI on technology projects, and frees human talent for higher‑value work.
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