Josh BeckmanExceptions or edge cases add additional states.
To fight the explosion of state count (and the intermediate states those generate), you have a couple powerful tools:
1. Identifying and routing out divergent items (aka ensuring items get more similar as they progress through automation) 2. Reunifying divergent paths, instead of building branches
Well-designed automation should look like a funnel, rather than a subway map.
If you want to go back and automate a class of work that’s being routed out, write a new automation flow explicitly targeting it. Don’t try and kludge into into some giant spaghetti monolith that can handle everything.
PS: This also has the side effect of simplifying and concluding discussions about “What should we do in this circumstance?” with other stakeholders. Which for more complex multi-type cases can be never-ending.
FROM:ycombinator.comAs Someone Who Spent Most of a Career in Process Automation, I've Decided Doing It Well Is Mostly About State Limitation.