Here's how you can optimize process automation workflows with logical reasoning.

What I always do before any development or optimization starts is ask why to everything. I have found that many time we keep doing steps just cause we have always done it that way, even if no longer necessary. It is crucial to understand why a step on a process is necessary, and everything that is not vital should go out of teh window.

Current process analysis: Start by carefully examining the process you want to automate. Identify the steps involved, data entry and exit points, possible bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement.

One of the most common wastes you will find is excess of information sharing. Many times you will see steps like sending emails with data or reports that do not contribute to creating value. The worst part, is that the person getting those emails most of the time does not even look at them. Anything that does not add to the end product, should be question is a harsh manner.

While enhancing the logic it is essential to consider reducing the execution time of the end-to-end automated process. Revisit the looping code to reduce the execution time. There are multiple ways of achieving the same logic. Choose the logic that takes less execution time. Extract the data and store it in a variable to avoid extracting the same data again and again.

The security of the system should have the utmost priority when making decisions about system integration. The latest tools in penetration testing help in identifying a secure system surface. If not directly, then custom tools should be developed to identify potential security vectors.

Map the process to optimize in several ways, from the process side, from the data side, from the tools side, or any other manner you see fit. Sometimes processes make sense in one way but could be highly improved looking at it in another manner. In my experience, mapping teh flow of information, databases and reports, will show you many redundant steps.

Deployment and monitoring: Deploy the automated solution to the production environment and monitor its performance continuously. Be prepared to make adjustments and improvements as new requirements emerge or as the process evolves.

Monitoring can become a waste on itself. Collect the data necessary for each step of your process, set expected behaviors on the KPIs and avoid becoming the team that constantly looks at the KPIs but does nothing with it. Overreacting is the worst waste posible, creates stress and conflict when things really are not out of the norm. Stablish a criteria and automate alerts, so that you can forget of things that keep working fine.

I would avoid regular changes, this will rapidly become a nightmare. Regular adjustments should be more like, minor and heavily justified changes. We fall on the trap of changing things all the time to feel like we are doing stuff, but it just keeps us busy and adds little to no value.

Identification of patterns and rules: Analyze the data patterns and business rules that govern the process. This will help in designing algorithms and automation logic that replicate the decisions humans make during the process. Selection of appropriate tools and technologies: Choose the automation tools and technologies that best fit the process requirements and established objectives. This may include programming languages, process automation platforms, APIs, or workflow management systems.