LEARNING UNIT 2: LEARNING UNIT 2
AUTOMATION AUTOMATION
2.1 INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
2.2 WHAT IS AUTOMATION?
2.3 WHAT PROCESSES CAN BE AUTOMATED?
2.4 BENEFITS AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH AUTOMATION
2.5 COGNITIVE COMPUTING SYSTEMS IN THE AUTOMATION PROCESS
2.6 CLOSING REMARKS
2.7 REFERENCES
1|P a g e
, 2.1 INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
In learning unit 1, you learnt to apply computational thinking to business problems. You also learnt
how to present an algorithm using a flowchart. In this learning unit, we will build on the knowledge
you have acquired in learning unit 1.
We will first look at what automation is. Next, we will look at the processes that lend themselves to
automation. Then we will look at the benefits and risks associated with automation. Lastly, cognitive
computing systems in automation will be explored.
Once you have mastered the theoretical concepts of automation, you will be taught how to use
Microsoft Excel to automate a process by using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). This skill will be
taught in learning units 3 and 4.
But for now, let’s look what automation is.
2.2 WHAT IS AUTOMATION?
Before we explore the definition of automation, watch this video, created by UiPath (2019) here.
Activity 2.1
Activity 2.1 is a groupwork activity. Please access activity 2.1 by clicking here.
End of activity
After reflecting and sharing on the above questions, let’s now look at the expert’s definition of
automation:
IBM (https://www.ibm.com/topics/automation) defines automation as ‘a term for technology
applications where human input is minimised’. Similarly, Techopedia (2021) defines automation as
‘the creation and application of technologies to produce and deliver goods and services with
minimal human intervention.’
Therefore, both definitions agree that automation is a technological intervention aimed at
minimising human intervention.
Think back again to the video clip on “The story of work”. Consider a creditors’ clerk that needs to
capture invoices from creditors every day from dusk to dawn. As he/she will literarily capture
thousands of invoices a month, he/she will make mistakes. Therefore, each month there will be
queries from numerous creditors to enquire about payments which were under or overpaid. The
poor clerk will then need to go manually through the invoices to find the reason for the anomaly.
2|P a g e
AUTOMATION AUTOMATION
2.1 INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
2.2 WHAT IS AUTOMATION?
2.3 WHAT PROCESSES CAN BE AUTOMATED?
2.4 BENEFITS AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH AUTOMATION
2.5 COGNITIVE COMPUTING SYSTEMS IN THE AUTOMATION PROCESS
2.6 CLOSING REMARKS
2.7 REFERENCES
1|P a g e
, 2.1 INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
In learning unit 1, you learnt to apply computational thinking to business problems. You also learnt
how to present an algorithm using a flowchart. In this learning unit, we will build on the knowledge
you have acquired in learning unit 1.
We will first look at what automation is. Next, we will look at the processes that lend themselves to
automation. Then we will look at the benefits and risks associated with automation. Lastly, cognitive
computing systems in automation will be explored.
Once you have mastered the theoretical concepts of automation, you will be taught how to use
Microsoft Excel to automate a process by using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). This skill will be
taught in learning units 3 and 4.
But for now, let’s look what automation is.
2.2 WHAT IS AUTOMATION?
Before we explore the definition of automation, watch this video, created by UiPath (2019) here.
Activity 2.1
Activity 2.1 is a groupwork activity. Please access activity 2.1 by clicking here.
End of activity
After reflecting and sharing on the above questions, let’s now look at the expert’s definition of
automation:
IBM (https://www.ibm.com/topics/automation) defines automation as ‘a term for technology
applications where human input is minimised’. Similarly, Techopedia (2021) defines automation as
‘the creation and application of technologies to produce and deliver goods and services with
minimal human intervention.’
Therefore, both definitions agree that automation is a technological intervention aimed at
minimising human intervention.
Think back again to the video clip on “The story of work”. Consider a creditors’ clerk that needs to
capture invoices from creditors every day from dusk to dawn. As he/she will literarily capture
thousands of invoices a month, he/she will make mistakes. Therefore, each month there will be
queries from numerous creditors to enquire about payments which were under or overpaid. The
poor clerk will then need to go manually through the invoices to find the reason for the anomaly.
2|P a g e
