As agentic AI continues to expand across the IT landscape, many processes are being automated. However, some processes are still better managed by humans than by machines.
Rather than thinking of applying AI wherever possible and over-automating, leaders should think about the most beneficial uses of the technology and begin implementation of the technology in those areas first before expanding further. Automation is a powerful tool, but humans are the most powerful tool in the IT stack. Let’s discuss how today’s IT leaders can strike the right balance between automation and manual processes.
The Automation Imperative
Automation throughout IT systems has become a vital strategic tool that fosters both agility and system resilience.
When done correctly, it decreases time spent on mundane but necessary tasks. As a result, IT personnel can move from a reactive stance to a proactive position that contributes to strategic business growth.
Let’s take databases, for example. With systems such as Microsoft SQL Server, automation for preventative maintenance is almost the bare minimum for ensuring high-level performance.
Automation can help teams optimize backups and maintenance schedules without constant, time-consuming manual intervention.
Automation can also help database administrators (DBAs) streamline index defragmentation, update index statistics, and check for data corruption, enabling teams to stay ahead of potential performance decline.
Automation also significantly augments an IT team’s ability to reduce human error. This can be as simple as eliminating typos in SQL scripts or creating standardization across teams when it comes to tools such as PowerShell or Transact-SQL (T-SQL).
This level of standardization makes it easier to address potential issues from one playbook as well as onboard new team members.
Where Manual Processes Are Still the Gold Standard
Even with the many benefits of automation, human-led processes still reign supreme in certain areas. For example, optimal IT operations happen at the intersection of tools and teamwork.
IT teams must still foster a collaborative culture, working with other departments to ensure cross team visibility and alignment on business goals. While the latest AI technology can help in these efforts, ultimately, humans must do this collaborative work.
Team dynamics can also be complex at times. Conflict resolution and major team decisions are not things that automation can solve. Moreover, if there is a critical system issue, DBAs must be able to work with IT leaders to resolve this issue and forge a path forward.
Finally, manual processes are often necessitated by convoluted workflows. Many DBA teams have workflows in which every step is a set of if-then-else decisions, with each possible outcome also encumbered with many if-then decisions cascading through multiple levels of decisions. In situations like this, manual processing is still the norm. Yes, AI and other automation tools can help even in these scenarios. But these workflows require a massive development effort for them to work flawlessly. As a result, many teams opt to process them manually.
When Over-Automation Becomes a Problem
Leaning too far into automation can create issues that become much harder to resolve. What was meant to promote optimal processes can instead create damage to a system that will take major resources to repair. For instance, if there’s an error in an automated script, perpetual automation will replicate the mistake at scale. This could lead to destroyed backups, deletion of important data, or even a widespread system shutdown. In the same way, today’s automation script needs maintenance when new major versions of the system they automate are put into production.
What worked yesterday may not work properly tomorrow. Additionally, too much automation influences the loss of institutional knowledge. The complete automation of processes can prevent IT members from working as a team on certain projects and sharing the knowledge necessary to troubleshoot issues in the future. Many junior team members might not know why automation was needed in the first place. If teams overly depend on AI and automation and do not incorporate enough intervention and training, it can create an environment in which teams are dependent on a “black box” system. This makes it difficult to pinpoint problems when they arise.
Lastly, over-automation may influence a lack of flexibility. The longer automated processes are left unchecked, the harder it will be for IT teams to adjust these processes when necessary. These adjustments may become important if the system fails, business goals change, or if IT leaders find a better way to manage and deploy workflows in a system.
Avoiding Over-Automating and Striking the Right Balance
There are at least five ways IT leaders can create a balanced IT environment so that automation and manual processes work well together:
- Begin with a strategic audit. The first step to any automation process should not be automation. Instead, identify your current workflows that may be repetitive, rule-based, and/or high volume throughout your systems. These workflows could present great automation opportunities. On the flip side, identify which workflows require more creativity, deep thinking, and extensive teamwork. These may be best suited for strategic manual processes.
- Select the right tools for the job. There are vast amounts of automation tools and software in the marketplace; they work best when paired with the right tools. For example, simpler DBA tasks may be best suited for Windows batch files or Task Scheduler, while more complex SQL Server workflows benefit from automated T-SQL scripts using the SQL Server Agent.
- Adequately rely on a human-in the loop format. When leveraging automation, be sure to identify critical areas in workflows where humans must ultimately make key decisions.
For instance, an automated script may prepare a database for a major update, but a DBA should likely provide the final approval before execution.
- Documentation and training are nonnegotiable. Throughout each automation process, be sure to document AI outputs and workflows. This creates visibility into potential black box scenarios and enhances the chances of shared knowledge within a team. In addition, mandate that your teams undergo regular training on each automation process relevant to their role.
- Create a culture of constant enhancement. No automation process will ever be perfect. Create times for check-ins and interventions so that automation workflows have the chance to improve when possible. Moreover, encourage team members to talk about what they’re seeing and present ways to improve automation throughout IT workflows.
Even as AI becomes ubiquitous and mandated within IT teams around the world, the right balance of automation and manual processes will always be the predominant best practice.
Businesses that will succeed and scale in the future are the ones that realize humans will also sit at the center of proper automation tooling.