Computers Perform Repetitive Tasks, People Solve Problems

One of the earliest philosophical ideas of the Toyota tradition is jidoka, sometimes translated as “automation with a human touch”. The goal is for computers to perform simple, repetitive tasks, such as regression testing, so that humans can focus on problem-solving. Thus computers and people complement each other.

Many people worry that automation will put them out of a job. This is not the goal. There will never be a shortage of work in a successful company. Rather, people are freed up from mindless drudge-work to focus on higher value activities. This also has the benefit of improving quality, since humans are at their most error-prone when performing mindless tasks.