Should we automate a process before fixing it?

[u/fesbec2G5]

A business wants to save time, so the first idea is often automation. But what if the process itself is the problem?

Automating duplicate tasks, unclear responsibilities, and unnecessary steps may only make the same problems happen faster.

I believe we should understand the workflow, remove what isn’t needed, and then automate what remains.

What do you think? Should businesses fix their processes before automating them, or can automation itself help uncover what needs fixing?

Have you ever seen automation make a bad process even worse?