December 3: Automation Advent with SusieJ

Automation

I love efficiency, that is, doing anything with the least amount of work. Having someone or something do the work instead, gets that work down to zero. Have the machine do it: delayed wash, stand mixer

Automating is a good description of my paid work: turning company processes that were done on paper into things that can be tracked through web applications. It's automation that doesn't put people out of work, but rather, puts them out of drudgery. Forms don't get lost, notifications are sent out, data is double checked, updates happen in one place and cascade through the system. I also try to make sure the apps are easy to interact with — none of this "type your phone number this way" or "pick your birth year from this insane drop-down list". Computers are good a rote, repetitive work.

When the software's users come back to the development team and say, "It was so much easier!" or "I didn't have to work on my day off!" that makes my day. Someone's job is a little easier, a little nicer, and I could help them do it. The easy way.

Rum balls

Let the food processor do the work for you with this classic no-bake cookie.

My favorite tool for doing the work for me, my nearly 30-year-old stand mixer.