The JET A‑1 Blog publishes practical insights on business process AI-automation, Make.com systems, Airtable architecture, workflow optimization, schema design, and operational efficiency for businesses. This page serves as the central hub for articles that help companies eliminate manual work, improve accuracy, and scale through automation.

Setting the context for a successful business automation project

“Progress requires simplicity. Simplicity requires ruthlessness”

‘The 80/20 Principle’ by Richard Koch

In advance of meeting with a project owner for our kick off session, we always share this short document in order that they understand how we can be most successful fastest, working with them:

What is business process automation [BPA]?

BPA enables a company to create benefits quickly that can be measured by at least one of:

>> Time saving

>> Cost saving

>> Revenue-generation

Modern tools for this work are remarkable and allow us to address almost any need, including process where reasoning is required, which is handled by well-trained AI interfaces.

An attitude for change and challenge is required by our clients for best success.

Process Definition is critical

>> In order to automate a process it has to be 100% defined.

>> This does not mean that it can’t be adjusted or changed in future.

>> But we cannot begin the work of automation until the scope is crystal clear.

[or, we can, but then we must smart-guess at the process scope which means the client will pay more for the result as we go through additional itterations to success]

Framework for Definition

To assist our clients to be certain that we deliver the highest possible value, we think through these steps. Sometimes this takes 20min and sometimes a few hours.

1. Specifically define:

-- a. Process name

-- b. Process start and process end

-- c. The necessary result / outcome

-- d. How success will be measured (eg time saved / cost reduced / revenue % lift)

2. Map the current process

3. Challenge the current process

4. Eliminate and Simplify

5. Automate

Related to (1c) above, an important emphasis: When building out automation flows we think from the end result backwards.

This is a way more efficient method to plan and execute.

What, absolutely exactly, is required as output?

Speed to Value

>> BPA is possibly the highest speed to value that you will ever experience in your organisation.

>> We deliver in micro-projects that are typically 5 to 15 days from start to delivery (with some testing / warm-up / adjustments after delivery)

>> BUT, this is only possible when we ruthlessly contain ourselves to the essentials of a process.

>> Therefore, when we engage with our clients, we aggressively limit scope, for the sake of our client and their ROI.

We can (almost always) accommodate your requirements for more; but in new phases or separate micro-projects