Start with the bottleneck, not the tool
Look for repeated tasks, information copied several times, follow-up that relies on memory or work status that nobody can check easily. These are often genuine opportunities.
Before choosing technology, describe who starts the process, what information is needed, who makes the next decision and how the team knows the work is complete.
Prioritise by frequency, cost and risk
A small task carried out one hundred times a month may create more value than a complex task that happens twice. Errors, delays and missed opportunities also matter.
A short list covering frequency, time spent and consequences helps order improvements without turning the whole business into an endless technology project.
Automate with visible controls
Automated rules should make it clear what happened, who owns the next step and which exception needs human review. The team should understand the workflow without depending on its original builder.
Begin with a contained process, measure time or errors before and after, document the solution and only expand when real usage justifies the next step.