Start with trigger and finish
Every workflow has a trigger and a definition of done. If the start and finish are fuzzy, automation will move mess faster.
Mark exceptions in red
Exceptions reveal where human judgement is still needed. Automate the stable path first, then decide which exceptions deserve rules, review or escalation.
Attach numbers to handoffs
Count waiting time, duplicate entry, errors, missed messages and approvals. The highest-value automation is often a handoff problem, not an AI problem.