Most automation projects fail before they start: somebody picks a tool, then goes looking for a process to point it at. We do it the other way round — and the first 45 minutes decide almost everything.

01 — The one question

We open every survey with the same question: “What would you stop doing tomorrow if you could?” The answer is rarely what the brief said, and it is almost always more valuable.

“If a process can’t be drawn on one sheet, it isn’t ready to be automated.”

02 — Bill of manual work

Next we list every recurring task: who does it, how often, how long it takes and what a mistake costs. It looks like an invoice on purpose — because that’s what it is.

• Name the owner of every step

• Time one real run, not the estimate

• Price a single mistake

• Mark every decision a human makes

FIG. N.24b — The worth-it number, calculated live

03 — The worth-it number

Hours per week × loaded hourly cost × 48 weeks, minus the build. If payback is longer than a quarter, we say so — and usually suggest something smaller.

04 — What you leave with

A one-page process map, a costed plan and a straight answer on whether to automate at all. You keep all three, whether you build with us or not.