Many of the companies I’ve worked with on automation are now expanding the scope of automation beyond IT and application workflows. They're pushing deeper into business units, actively identifying processes ripe for automation. A key focus in these efforts is understanding how to trigger automation effectively. What's the event that sets it in motion? How do we integrate these triggers into our systems?

Today, processes are initiated by system notifications,  file arrivals, or other standard events. But one area with huge potential is automation triggered by humans - informed decisions made by people who stay in the loop. This on-demand, ad-hoc automation, where a human initiates or interacts with the process at a key step, is an essential piece of the puzzle for achieving pervasive or hyper-automation. 

Think about workflows like onboarding new staff, offboarding, password resets, report generation, or approval processes. Many of these start with a human interaction or require a critical decision point. Without human-first triggers, we're limiting the full potential of automation.

In an upcoming post, I’ll introduce our new Self-service feature, designed to empower hyper-automation. It’s all about helping you optimize workflows with ease, putting the right tools into the hands of authorized users to trigger automation instantly. 

What workflows would you love to automate with a simple, accessible button for ad-hoc requests?  Share your ideas in the comments below—I look forward to reading your ideas

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Paul Wade B.Sc.
Director, Product Management
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