Lesson 2: Tools for Assessing Automation Risk

In this lesson, we’ll explore practical tools and frameworks that can help you evaluate your job’s automation potential. These resources will empower you to make informed decisions about your career and identify areas for growth.

1. O*NET Database:
The O*NET database provides detailed information about job roles, including tasks, required skills, and automation potential. It’s an essential resource for assessing how automation might impact your role.

• How to Use It:

  1. Visit the O*NET website.

  2. Search for your job title (e.g., "data analyst").

  3. Review the "Tasks" section to identify repetitive or automatable activities.

  4. Check the "Technology Skills" section for tools and systems relevant to your role.

• Example: A sales professional might find that routine data entry tasks are at risk of automation, but skills like negotiation and relationship management remain critical.

2. McKinsey’s Automation Potential Framework:
McKinsey’s framework evaluates tasks based on their technical feasibility for automation, considering factors like process complexity and data availability.

• How to Apply It:

  1. Break down your job into specific tasks (e.g., scheduling meetings, analyzing data).

  2. Assess each task’s repetitiveness, predictability, and reliance on structured data.

  3. Assign a score (e.g., low, medium, high) to indicate its automation potential.

• Example: An HR manager might find that payroll processing has high automation potential, while employee engagement initiatives require human interaction.

3. World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report:
The WEF report highlights global trends in automation, emerging job roles, and in-demand skills.

• How to Use It:

  1. Download the latest report from the WEF website.

  2. Review the list of jobs expected to grow or decline by 2025.

  3. Identify skills listed as critical for future roles (e.g., analytical thinking, creativity).

• Example: A project manager might discover that demand for agile project management skills is increasing due to automation in traditional project tracking.

4. Automation Risk Calculators:
Online calculators provide quick estimates of a job’s automation risk based on task characteristics.

• How to Use It:

  1. Search for "job automation risk calculator" online.

  2. Enter your job title or description into the tool.

  3. Review the risk percentage and suggested actions.

• Example: A retail cashier using such a calculator might learn their role has an automation risk of over 70%, prompting them to explore customer experience or e-commerce roles.

5. Limitations of These Tools:
While these tools provide valuable insights, they have limitations:

• They focus on current trends and may not account for rapid technological advancements.

• They provide general estimates and may not reflect unique aspects of your role.

• They don’t account for soft skills like creativity or emotional intelligence that are harder to automate.

6. Actionable Steps:

1. Visit O*NET and analyze your current role’s tasks for automation potential.

2. Use McKinsey’s framework to evaluate specific tasks within your job.

3. Review the WEF report to identify emerging trends in your industry.

4. Experiment with an online automation risk calculator for a quick assessment.

5. Reflect on how you can adapt by developing in-demand skills like critical thinking or adaptability.

Real-World Example:
A financial analyst used these tools to assess their role’s automation risk:

• They found that tasks like generating reports were highly automatable but realized that interpreting financial trends required human expertise.

• Based on this insight, they took a course in advanced data visualization and transitioned into a more strategic role within their company.

Conclusion:
By leveraging these tools and frameworks, you can better understand how automation may impact your role and industry. This knowledge will help you identify areas for growth and prepare for future opportunities in an automated workplace.

In the next lesson, we’ll explore how to identify transferable skills that can help you adapt to changes brought about by automation.