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The Automation Compass

Where do you use people, and where do you use machines?

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Don't get lost in the AI jungle

AI is making automation more relevant than ever. Tools are popping up everywhere that promise to make your work faster and smarter—and yes, things are moving so fast that you sometimes feel like you’re missing the boat. Still, blindly jumping on the bandwagon isn’t an option. As soon as automation becomes an end in itself rather than a means to an end, you’ll lose your way. Use AI thoughtfully, so you always know where you’re headed.

The Compass at a Glance

Reviews

What others are saying

Kosse Doornbos | VHG - Royal Association of Gardeners and Landscapers

"Using concrete examples and clear explanations, Harm demonstrates how AI can help us work smarter and more efficiently. He also emphasizes the importance of taking control: as a professional, you remain responsible for the conscious use and oversight of AI. This is a valuable contribution that helps entrepreneurs move toward the future with confidence and insight."

Nathalie Bloemers | FBNed - Family Businesses Netherlands

We asked Harm to guide our team through the world of AI. He provided a clear and insightful explanation of the impact this technology has on us and our environment. Harm showed us how we can already integrate AI into our daily work by asking the right simple questions, while also preparing us for the rapid developments on the horizon. With practical insights, he taught us how to truly make AI work for us. Harm was able to largely dispel the team’s initial reservations by demonstrating that, as humans, we always remain in control.

Onno Keller | Dolmans Landscaping Group, Inc.

"We had a very informative morning with Harm. There was a great balance between theory and hands-on practice. By taking a close look at recurring processes, we identified several promising applications that we can explore further. Thank you!"

A fun exercise for your team

The Automation Compass was designed as a team exercise. By working through it together, you build support and enthusiasm for implementing AI. This is essential, since it’s a new development and change often meets with resistance. Tackling this together makes the process feel more familiar and helps clarify the way forward.

the debo team at greenhouse

The result

Once all tasks have been mapped out, you’ll have a clear breakdown to get started with.
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Energy drainers + People — Delegate to the team. It’s not fun, but sometimes things just have to get done.
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Energy drainers + AI — This is where the gold lies. Automate these tasks and free up time and space. Decide in advance what you’ll do with that freed-up time, otherwise it will disappear unnoticed into your screen.
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Energy boost + People — This is where your competitive edge lies. Technology can be copied; people cannot. Focus fully on this.
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Energy boost + AI — Food for thought. People get energized by this, but automation is possible. A strategic choice: what does your organization want to prioritize?

The magic!

Once everyone has written down their tasks on the Post-it notes, you can start plotting them on the matrix. And this is where it gets interesting… when placing a task on the matrix, you consciously decide whether it’s an energizing task or one that drains energy. Once you’ve determined that, you can choose whether to automate it or consciously opt for the human touch.

Provide clarity

Breaking down processes into specific tasks sounds easy, but experience shows that it’s something we often get stuck on. A process like “preparing a quote” consists of many small, specific tasks, such as:
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- Add a description
- Calculate the price
- Draft an email

These small, specific tasks are ideal for plotting on the automation compass.

Shall we get started together?

Where do you use people, and where do you use machines?

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Request a workshop