2012 Technology Predictions: Second Wave of Automation
Second wave of Automation
When computers first hit the market, their main purpose was to mimic normal office procedures and provide a boost to productivity. That mimicry became the paradigm of office computing, and we see it pretty much everywhere.
Forms, documents, email functionality, and even the keyboard itself copy the previous paradigms and simply provide a digital version. That was the first wave of automation.
The second wave of automation is already happening and it will become more distinct over the next few years. The second wave of automation is really about redesigning and optimizing the paradigms of the past.
The best example of this is in filling out government forms online. In the first wave of automation, forms were copied into a digital replica and placed online. This was practical as well as efficient because forms could be submitted digitally or manually and so records would need to be standardized.
In some Colorado counties, the vehicle registration process has been simplified to make the process simple, quick and easy.
But with the level of computer technology we have now, there is no reason to base forms of their analog version. Rather, it makes sense to build and fill forms dynamically based on the user needs. For example, to renew your car registration in the past you had to fill out a form (paper or digital) and submit it. Now you can just log on, give your name, select what vehicles to renew, and you are done. Everything else is handled automatically and the forms have no analog equivalent.
That is the second wave of automation. It is based on user profiles, and centered on optimization and the needs of the user. As we get closer to “real ID” Internet profiles, or companies focus more on usability, we’ll find that the standard forms cease to exist.
For an example of this in action, take a look at Amazon’s one click purchasing system. Over the next few years you’ll see it, and other systems like it, spread throughout the web and through mobile devices to make sure you’ll never have to fill out a form again.
The benefit for business – besides a better conversion rate and customer satisfaction – is that the back end of these forms is integrated into business intelligence systems which monitor an array of metrics related to performance and efficiency. For example, tracking time between steps helps identify areas for improvement and redesign.
