5 Common Software Automation Mistakes to Avoid

Want your automation project to succeed? Here are the 5 biggest mistakes companies make – and how to fix them:

Quick Stats:

• 30-50% of automation projects fail
• Companies spend 3-4x more fixing rushed projects
• 88% of employees say training is inadequate

Here’s the thing: automation isn’t "set and forget." You need a solid plan, proper testing, and ongoing maintenance.

But when done right? The results are clear:

• 30% reduction in work hours
• 90% faster customer service
• 46% lower support costs

Who this guide is for:

• Teams starting automation projects
• Companies fixing failed automation
• IT leaders planning new rollouts

Let’s dive into each mistake and learn how to avoid them.

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1. Trying to Automate Flawed Processes

Here’s the truth: when you automate a broken process, you just make it fail faster. A Nintex study shows this hits companies hard – 72% of people who quit blamed bad IT processes. Even worse? 40% of employees went behind IT’s back to use their own apps just to finish their work.

What happens when you rush to automate bad processes?

Fix First, Then Automate

Before you spend a dime on automation:

• Write down each step in your process
• Find the bottlenecks
• Talk to your team about what slows them down
• Cut out extra approval steps
• Run the fixed process by hand first

"Want to avoid automating a mess? Build a smooth manual process BEFORE you buy expensive tech." – Bruce M., Author

When you fix processes first, you get:

Think of it like this: You wouldn’t install a robot vacuum in a cluttered room. Clean up first, THEN let the robot do its job.

Start with one process. Fix it. Test it. THEN automate it. Yes, it takes longer – but it saves you from expensive headaches later.

2. Not Testing Enough Before Launch

Let’s talk about what happens when you skip testing: your automation project crashes and burns. Data from Sigma Software Group shows a painful truth – companies that cut testing corners spend 3-4x more fixing problems later.

Here’s what poor testing leads to:

You need these three testing phases:

1. Pre-deployment Testing

Run your automation through EVERY scenario you can think of. Good data, bad data, weird data – throw it all in there.

2. Test Environment Checks

Set up a mirror of your real system and look for:

• How fast (or slow) things run
• Memory eating up space
• Connection drops
• Security weak spots

3. Live System Monitoring

After launch, keep your eyes on:

• Is the system staying up?
• How many errors pop up?
• What are users saying?
• Is it running smoothly?

"Proof of Concept is not just another formality but an important step that can save time, money, and effort." – Olexiy Vovk, Senior Test Automation Engineer at Sigma Software Group

Here’s what you MUST test:

Make Your Testing Better:

• Test the same thing multiple times
• Clock your response times
• Jump on failed tests right away
• Keep test scripts in sync with code
• Check results every day

Bottom line: Don’t wait for things to break in production. Test now, test a lot, and test everything. Your users will stick around, and your wallet will stay fuller.

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3. Skipping Staff Training and Support

Here’s a wake-up call: Gallup found that 88% of employees think their company fails at training. And when you’re adding automation? Poor training can turn your new system into an expensive paperweight.

Bad training hits your bottom line:

"Change scares people. They worry about how new tools will shake up their daily work – or if they’ll even have a job tomorrow." – Mike Kelly, CIO at Red Hat

Here’s How to Fix It:

1. Know Your Starting Point

Map out what your team needs:

• Current skills
• Knowledge holes
• Training priorities

2. Give Learning Options

Mix these together:

• Live practice sessions
• Video tutorials
• Written guides
• Group workshops

3. Back Your Team Up

Put these in place:

• Fast help channels
• Answer guides
• Tech support
• Progress meetings

Look at what works: When Stacy Potter (National Certified Continuing Education Provider for Massage Therapy) switched to automated grading, her team got faster feedback and cut down training time.

The Money Side:

Don’t Make These Mistakes:

• Training before systems are ready
• Training after launch
• Skipping practice time
• No backup plan

Bottom line: A delayed launch with solid training beats a quick launch that crashes and burns.

4. Rushing Into Implementation

Want to burn money? Skip the planning phase of your automation project. Here’s what happens:

"You must first define, design, develop and deliver automation. Do not rush the process because of your longer term vision. Automation takes time to build, deploy and implement at scale across your organizations." – Jack Wagner, Hawk Ventures

Let’s look at what happened at Investec bank. They tried to rush their automation. Their testing fell apart. But then they stopped, made a real plan, and cut their delivery time by 75%.

Here’s their winning formula:

"The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency." – Bill Gates

Do These Checks First:

Smart Project Steps:

1. Document what you do now
2. Spot the problems
3. Test small fixes
4. Grow what works
5. Keep manual backups

Bottom line: Start slow to finish strong. Good planning saves both money and headaches.

5. Failing to Track and Update Systems

Most companies set up automation and walk away. Big mistake. Here’s what happens when you skip tracking and updates:

Here’s what ZappleTech‘s CDO, Mikhail Bodnarchuk, learned:

"Check and update your test scripts often. Build updates into your schedule and set aside time to sync tests with your latest app changes."

Track These Daily:

Fix These Now:

Want better updates? Do these 5 things:

1. Put test scripts in version control
2. Set up system alerts
3. Test updates in staging
4. Keep backups ready
5. Write down changes

Watch These Stats:

Here’s the thing: Outside tools and custom code don’t always play nice with updates. Test EVERYTHING before it goes live. Pick your key numbers and share them. It keeps your team on track.

Skip the maintenance, and you’ll spend your days putting out fires instead of moving forward.

Conclusion

Here’s what successful companies do with software automation:

Here’s what Michael Cowan from Jama Software says about it:

"Automation is a tool to reduce development and operating costs, while freeing up resources to work on more complicated things."

Want your automation project to succeed? Follow this checklist:

But here’s something to think about. Gina Schaefer from Deloitte‘s U.S. intelligent automation practice puts it perfectly:

"Just because you can automate something doesn’t mean you should."

The numbers tell the story: IDC found that 75% of companies can’t find workers with the right skills. That’s why training is a MUST.

Bottom line: Automation isn’t "set and forget." You need to:

• Keep your team’s skills sharp
• Update your systems
• Stay focused on your goals

That’s how you build automation that actually works.

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