The Executive's How-To Guide to Automation: Mastering AI and Algorithm-Driven Business

by George E Danner

From driverless cars to pilotless planes, many functions that have previously required human labor can now be performed using artificial intelligence. For businesses, this use of AI results in reduced labor costs and, even more important, creating a competitive advantage. How does one look at any organization and begin the work of automating it in sensible ways? This book provides the blueprint for automating critical business functions of all kinds. It outlines the skills and technologies that must be brought to bear on replicating human-like thinking and judgment in the form of algorithms. Many believe that algorithm design is the exclusive purview of computer scientists and experienced programmers. This book aims to dispel that notion. An algorithm is merely a set of rules, and anyone with the ability to envision how different components of a business can interact with other components already has the ability to work in algorithms. Though many fear that the use of automation in business means human labor will no longer be needed, the author argues that organizations will re-purpose humans into different roles under the banner of automation, not simply get rid of them. He also identifies parts of business that are best targeted for automation. This book will arm business people with the tools needed to automate companies, making them perform better, move faster, operate cheaper, and provide great lasting value to investors.

178 pages, Hardcover

Published January 31, 2019

Reviews

[Jesse Nyokabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬?

For businesses, the use of Artificial Intelligence has resulted in reduced labor costs and, even more importantly, creating a competitive advantage.

Published January 31, 2019, this book by George E Danner provides the blueprint for automating critical business functions of all kinds. It outlines the skills and technologies that must be brought to bear on replicating human-like thinking and judgment in algorithms.

Many believe that algorithm design is the exclusive purview of computer scientists and experienced programmers. This book aims to dispel that notion. An algorithm is merely a set of rules, and anyone with the ability to envision how different components of a business can interact with other components already can work in algorithms.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞-𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

The author also identifies parts of the business that are best targeted for automation. This book arms businesspeople with the tools needed to automate companies, making them perform better, move faster, operate cheaper, and provide great lasting value to investors.

If the hallmark of the future is automation and algorithms form the “molecules” of an automated system, one cannot escape the inevitable conclusion that those who participate in the design of algorithms will thrive in the coming economy.

Even though the bigger wave of automation is still a few years away, there are health and hygiene steps that can be taken now as an easy on-ramp to tomorrow:

1. Build an ideation engine to foster clever thinking about ways to automate the business.

2. Master the art of understanding systems (any system) through diagramming.

3. Create sleeper cells of automation talent that can spring into action quickly as the wave approaches.

4. Develop a working knowledge of the technology tapestry of automation.

5. Make a science of studying other firms in industries completely different from your own.

6. Compile good quality data, but do not allow the data collection effort to dominate the work.

7. Build a sandbox for experimentation with automation concepts.

We sit on a unique moment in history. The past has brought us technological innovations that allow us to mimic the complex decision-making process of humans very closely. It has also produced organizations with vast numbers of complex problems to solve every hour of every day. Up to now, most organizations operate with an army of humans somehow making it all work by the end of the day.

The future will be different. Very different.

Because we possess the potential for automation that we did not have
before, we are set to embark on an unprecedented wave of automation for
organizations of every shape and size. This book is purpose-built to get you ready for that highly automated future.

Everything is automatable, including highly cognitive processes involving judgment and reason. But some processes are more automatable than others and these are the better starting points. You are now equipped with enough criteria to sort through the candidates for automation and skillfully choose the best ones, to begin with, thereby building momentum for the later, more difficult children.

[Fresno Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting, I would have appreciated more time and a well fleshed out example/walkthrough of the creation of an complex automation diagram, since the author felt it was the most important element to automation