Automate
Remove repetitive work. Delegate repetitive activities to systems: fewer handoffs, more consistent output. On its own, automation changes the cost of a task while the workflow around it stays as it was.
Automate. Augment. Redesign. Preserve.
What should AI do with each task?
Automate. Augment. Redesign. Preserve. We make one of these calls on every task, each with a name, a reason, and a date.
What each call means
- AutomateRemove repetitive work.
- AugmentKeep the human. Increase capability.
- RedesignChange the workflow itself.
- PreserveProtect what already works.
Intentional workforce design
Augment
Keep the human, and add capability. AI assists with analysis, research, decision support, and content creation, while the human stays responsible for the outcome.
Redesign
Change the workflow itself. Redesign asks a different question. If AI changes capability, should the workflow itself change? Should roles change? Should decisions move? In customer service, that is the difference between automating tickets and redesigning the whole customer experience.
Preserve
Protect what already works. Some work should stay exactly as it is, because it is where judgment, trust, and expertise live. Before AI touches a task, ask two questions: can it, and should it?
What do the calls look like in practice?
Two examples: customer service and knowledge work.
Customer Service
AutomateTicket handling.
AugmentAgent support.
RedesignThe whole customer experience.
PreserveThe conversations that keep a customer.
Knowledge Work
AutomateDocument generation.
AugmentResearch assistance.
RedesignNew operating model for expertise.
PreserveThe expert judgment clients pay for.
Make the call on every task: automate, augment, redesign, or preserve.
By design, not by default.