What Building Automation Projects Taught Me About Problem-Solving

I started building automation to save time.

I stayed because it teaches you how to think.

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Lesson 1: Constraints Are Clarifying

Every automation project starts with a constraint:

• "We have 500 invoices to process by Friday."
• "You can't spend more than $50."
• "The end user doesn't know Python."

Constraints force you to prioritize.

Instead of building the perfect solution, you build the simplest thing that works.

This is a valuable skill far beyond automation.

Lesson 2: Systems Thinking Over Point Solutions

Automation teaches you to think in systems, not tasks.

You can't just "extract the invoice number." You have to think:

1. Where does the file come from?
2. Where does the result go?
3. What happens if it fails?
4. Who needs to see the logs?

Every task is part of a larger system.

Lesson 3: Humans Are the Hardest Part

The code is easy. People are hard.

I've built perfect tools that nobody used because:

• They didn't know it existed.
• They didn't trust it.
• It was slightly harder than their manual process.

The best automation is invisible and trustworthy.

Lesson 4: Boring Wins

Flashy demos get applause. Boring, reliable tools get used.

I've learned to optimize for reliability over cleverness.

Nobody cares if your tool uses the latest AI model. They care if it works every Monday at 9 AM without fail.

Lesson 5: Documentation Is a Love Letter to Future You

Six months from now, you will forget how it works.

Write the README for that person.

Conclusion

Automation taught me:

• Constraints clarify priorities
• Systems thinking beats point solutions
• Humans need trust, not features
• Boring wins
• Document everything

These lessons apply far beyond code.