Automation you can understand and stop

People need to know what an automation is doing, what it can change and how to intervene. These decisions belong in the design of the workflow.

Define what may happen automatically

Separate reading information, preparing a draft and taking an external action. Each has a different consequence. Name the actions that require approval and the person who can give it. A system should not quietly gain permission because a previous step succeeded.

Show the result

A useful status says what happened and what is needed next. If a connection fails, make that visible and explain how the task can continue. A log should help someone understand the process without exposing unnecessary personal information.

Keep a recovery path

Consider how to correct an input, retry safely and return to a manual process. Test those paths alongside the successful case.

Control is not a final setting added to a finished automation. It is part of deciding the scope, interface and handover from the beginning.