Automation isn’t just for manufacturing tasks. In fact, many of the grinding, repetitive tasks your engineers can’t stand can easily be automated out of existence. Any task that is repeatable is automatable. That means you can save big money on man hours, letting your engineers do what you pay them to do and what they’re passionate about — design better products. Not only will automation create a more efficient use of payroll hours, it will also raise morale among engineers, making it easier for you to retain top talent.
If you’re sold on the idea of automation, but not sure how to incorporate it, you’re not alone. Many organizations aren’t sure where to start. What’s more, your engineering department might not have the skill set required to automate tasks. Sometimes even experienced engineers don’t understand the difference between simple scripts and process automation. Scripting can often be a useful way to carry out tasks, but can also lead to isolated solutions rather than holistic processes that integrate your entire IT environment and operating model. So where do you begin integrating automation? Well if you don’t have the know-how in your organization to automate tasks, hiring a knowledgeable consulting team can easily pay for itself by automating for you. In any case, your initial steps to integrating automation are below:
- The starting point – Tear down operational boundaries – Automation of processes often affects multiple functions and engineering groups, which requires collaboration between multiple areas.
- Hunt for Quick Wins – Ideally, your joint engineering teams can identify some initial quick wins to concentrate on.
- Focus on the Larger Picture – After automating smaller tasks, engineers will have a better understanding of automation platforms and process.
Ultimately, engineers want to build and create. Refocusing their attention on doing what they love will boost morale.
When combined, the engineers of SPK have decades of experience both in their fields and in implementing automation at enterprise-class organizations and SMBs. Best of all, we can continue working with you after addressing your automation needs to manage your tools so your engineers don’t have to. Download our whitepaper “Reaching Target Product Launch Dates and Increasing Engineer Morale with Automation” to learn more or call us today to talk about your organization’s needs and how SPK and Associates can help you meet them.
