The Paradox of Automation

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What is the “Paradox of Automation”?

“One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” — Elbert Hubbard, author of A Message to Garcia

Key Points:

• The Paradox of Automation says that the more efficient the automated system, the more crucial the human contribution of the operators. Humans are less involved, but their involvement becomes more critical.
• If an automated system has an error, it will multiply that error until it’s fixed or shut down. This is where human operators come in.
• Efficient Automation makes humans more important, not less.

Questions for Consideration:

• For any automated systems you use, do you have qualified human operators ready to jump in and fix issues quickly?
• How can you identify systematic errors before they become too big to handle?

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