Ch.12 Solving Technical Problems and Choosing the Right ToolAI
Question
When is automation a poor choice?
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Answer
When the process is unclear, high-risk, rarely repeated, or lacks reliable input data.
Automating confusion creates faster confusion. Stabilise the process first.
JRC DigComp / EPSOHQ Digital Skills DB
Deep dive
When automation backfires: three red flags
Automation is a poor choice when the process is unclear, high-risk, rarely repeated, or lacks reliable input data. The exam trap is assuming automation always saves time.
(function(){
var players = document.querySelectorAll('[data-audio-captions][data-captions-url]');
var parseTimestamp = function(value) {
var parts = value.trim().split(':');
var seconds = parts.pop() || '0';
var minutes = parts.pop() || '0';
var hours = parts.pop() || '0';
return (Number(hours) * 3600) + (Number(minutes) * 60) + Number(seconds.replace(',', '.'));
};
var parseCues = function(text) {
return text
.replace(/\r/g, '')
.split(/\n\n+/)
.map(function(block) { return block.split('\n').filter(Boolean); })
.filter(function(lines) { return lines.length >= 2 && lines[0] !== 'WEBVTT'; })
.map(function(lines) {
if (!lines[0].includes('-->')) {
lines.shift();
}
var timing = lines.shift() || '';
var parts = timing.split('-->').map(function(part) { return part.trim(); });
return {
start: parseTimestamp(parts[0] || '0'),
end: parseTimestamp(parts[1] || '0'),
text: lines.join(' '),
};
})
.filter(function(cue) { return Number.isFinite(cue.start) && Number.isFinite(cue.end) && cue.text !== ''; });
};
var findCue = function(cues, time) {
return cues.find(function(cue) { return time >= cue.start && time < cue.end; })
|| cues.find(function(cue) { return time < cue.start; })
|| cues[cues.length - 1]
|| null;
};
players.forEach(function(player) {
var audio = player.querySelector('audio');
var output = player.querySelector('[data-audio-captions-output]');
if (!audio || !output) {
return;
}
fetch(player.dataset.captionsUrl)
.then(function(response) { return response.ok ? response.text() : ''; })
.then(function(text) {
var cues = parseCues(text);
var activeText = '';
var render = function() {
var cue = findCue(cues, audio.currentTime);
if (!cue || cue.text === activeText) {
return;
}
activeText = cue.text;
output.textContent = cue.text;
};
render();
audio.addEventListener('timeupdate', render);
audio.addEventListener('seeked', render);
audio.addEventListener('play', render);
});
});
})();
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