"اولین قانون هر فناوری که در کسب و کاری مورد استفاده قرار می‌گیرد این است که اتوماسیون وقتی به یک عملیات کارآمد اعمال شود، کارایی را بیشتر می‌کند. دومین قانون این است که اتوماسیون وقتی به یک عملیات ناکارآمد اعمال شود، ناکارآمدی را بیشتر می‌کند."

This quote is all about the power of automation in business—whether for good or bad. If you incorporate automation into a process that already runs smoothly, the benefits multiply. On the flip side, if you add automation to a process that's already a mess, it’s only going to make things worse.

To put this in context, this was probably said when businesses were first getting excited about new technologies and automation. Think back to the industrial revolution when factories started using machines to speed up production. Or, in more modern times, the rise of computer systems in the late 20th century. People were quick to jump on the automation bandwagon, thinking it was the magic bullet. But as with any tool, it matters how you use it.

Here’s a real-life example. Imagine a company that handles customer service calls. They decide to implement an automated phone system to handle calls more quickly. If their current system is efficient—calls are answered promptly, and issues are resolved quickly—automation will just make that process even faster and more reliable. Customers will be happier because they get help faster, and the company will save on labor costs.

Now, let’s flip the script. Suppose their current process is a disaster: calls go unanswered, customers get frustrated and hang up, or they get transferred to the wrong department repeatedly. If they slap an automated system on top of that mess, it’s just going to magnify those problems. Calls will still go unanswered, and now customers will angrily navigate a confusing menu system before they give up. The automation doesn’t fix the underlying issues; it just makes them happen faster and more frequently.

So, how do you apply this in your own life or business? Before you rush to automate, take a good, hard look at your current processes. Are they efficient? Do they work smoothly? If not, fix those issues first. Simplify, streamline, and ensure everything runs like a well-oiled machine. Only then should you think about adding automation into the mix. It’s like building a house—you need a solid foundation before you start adding fancy gadgets.

Think about a chef in a busy kitchen. If their team works well together, each cook knows their part, and the kitchen runs like clockwork, adding a high-tech oven that cooks dishes faster would be fantastic. But if the kitchen is chaotic—orders get mixed up, ingredients go missing, and the team is constantly stepping on each other’s toes—that fancy oven is just going to make things worse. It’ll cook the wrong dishes faster, and you’ll end up with more unhappy customers.

So, before you dive head-first into automation, take a step back. Evaluate your current setup. Fix what’s broken. Only then, bring in the robots. And remember, technology is a tool—not a magic wand. It can make good processes great and bad processes even worse. Be smart about how you use it, and you’ll reap the rewards.