{"id":2327,"date":"2025-02-27T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T00:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/?p=2327"},"modified":"2025-02-27T10:45:04","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T00:45:04","slug":"the-button-why-some-demand-it-and-others-fear-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/2025\/02\/27\/the-button-why-some-demand-it-and-others-fear-it\/","title":{"rendered":"The Button \u2013 Why Some Demand It, and Others Fear It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A while ago, my wife wrote a blog post about <strong>The Button<\/strong>\u2014specifically, the electric push-button and how it transformed the way we interact with machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before the push-button, people had to manually operate machines using cranks, levers, and mechanisms. When buttons were introduced, they revolutionized convenience\u2014but not without resistance. Some worried that push-button technology would make people lazy, eroding their skills and making them overly reliant on automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can read her full post and her other great work here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-what-did-you-learn wp-block-embed-what-did-you-learn\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"gFgoxBn5q2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/what-did-you-learn.com\/2023\/04\/06\/electric-buttons-and-progress\/\">Electric buttons and&nbsp;progress<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Electric buttons and&nbsp;progress&#8221; &#8212; What did you learn?\" src=\"https:\/\/what-did-you-learn.com\/2023\/04\/06\/electric-buttons-and-progress\/embed\/#?secret=uTeLsyPL3m#?secret=gFgoxBn5q2\" data-secret=\"gFgoxBn5q2\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And honestly? Every industry has its version of &#8220;<strong>The Button<\/strong>.&#8221; That magical automation tool that instantly solves a problem with no effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I hear it all the time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;Can you just give me a button that does this?&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;I don\u2019t want to manually check anything. Just automate it.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;We should be able to press a button, and it just works.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the issue is clear, at least from my perspective. If you don\u2019t understand the process, what exactly are you automating?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Demand for &#8220;The Button&#8221; \u2013 Instant Automation, No Learning Required<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a pattern I\u2019ve seen across BIM, digital delivery, and data workflows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Someone wants a fully automated solution\u2014let\u2019s say transferring data between ProjectWise and Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They\u2019ve never tried the semi-automated process (bulk exports and imports).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They don\u2019t understand the hold points, checks, or data structures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They just want The Button\u2014a one-click solution that moves everything seamlessly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This approach introduces risks. Automating without a proper grasp of the underlying process can create blind spots and errors, making troubleshooting a challenge. Without understanding the manual steps, it&#8217;s hard to identify what\u2019s broken when The Button fails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Other Extreme. The People Who Reject &#8220;The Button&#8221;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the flip side, there are those who know the process inside out. Their familiarity ensures reliable results through manual control. They often reject automation, even for repetitive tasks, because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They prefer to rely on a process they fully understand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They want every step to be executed exactly as they intend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They view automation as a black box that removes control.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While I understand the hesitation to adopt automation that cannot be maintained independently, clinging to manual methods for routine tasks sacrifices efficiency and progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Finding the Right Balance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The core issue isn\u2019t the button itself, but automating without understanding. If you demand instant solutions without knowing the process, you set yourself up for failure. Likewise, refusing to automate simply to retain control wastes time on tasks that could be done more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best approach is to learn first and automate second. Here\u2019s what I suggest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Test the semi-automated method first: Get a basic understanding of the process before pushing for full automation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Document the logic: Define expected inputs, outputs, and checks when automating.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Embrace coding: If automation eliminates repetitive work, it\u2019s an efficiency tool\u2014not a mysterious black box.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you demand a button without understanding the process, you\u2019re setting yourself up for failure.<br>If you refuse to automate because it takes away control, you\u2019re wasting valuable time on repeatable tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best approach? Learn first, automate second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automation should make your job easier by complementing your understanding of the process. When you know how things work, you can automate effectively and free up time for more valuable work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you see more demanders of The Button or those who shy away from it in your industry? Let me know in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A while ago, my wife wrote a blog post about The Button\u2014specifically, the electric push-button and how it transformed the way we interact with machines. Before the push-button, people had to manually operate machines using cranks, levers, and mechanisms. When buttons were introduced, they revolutionized convenience\u2014but not without resistance. Some worried that push-button technology would make people lazy, eroding their&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"Some demand The Button without understanding the process. Others refuse it completely. The key? Learn the process first, automate second.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"The push-button changed the way we interact with machines\u2014but it didn\u2019t remove the need for knowledge. Automation is the same. Learn the process before you automate. #BIM #Automation #ProcessImprovement","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-ominous-red-button.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2303,"url":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/2025\/04\/03\/stress-vs-burnout-understanding-the-difference\/","url_meta":{"origin":2327,"position":0},"title":"Stress vs. Burnout \u2013 Understanding the Difference","author":"Ryan Lenihan","date":"3 April 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Most people confuse stress with burnout because they share similar symptoms. Headaches, fatigue, disrupted sleep. But while stress is a reaction, burnout is a condition. It\u2019s the accumulation of stressors over time, turning into something unmanageable. And the people who burn out the hardest? The strong ones. https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C9P2Sdhu8yw\/ \ud83d\udd25 Stress\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Digital&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Digital","link":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/category\/digital\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Office worker overwhelmed with paperwork","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/office-worker-overwhelmed-with-paperwork.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/office-worker-overwhelmed-with-paperwork.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/office-worker-overwhelmed-with-paperwork.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/office-worker-overwhelmed-with-paperwork.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/office-worker-overwhelmed-with-paperwork.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/office-worker-overwhelmed-with-paperwork.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2584,"url":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/2026\/03\/19\/when-leadership-is-the-ceiling-how-low-capability-managers-normalise-mediocrity\/","url_meta":{"origin":2327,"position":1},"title":"When Leadership Is the Ceiling. How Low-Capability Managers Normalise Mediocrity","author":"Ryan Lenihan","date":"19 March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The \u201claw of the lid\u201d says a team rarely outperforms the capability of its leader. It\u2019s a neat framing, but the real issue runs deeper. Low\u2011capability leadership doesn\u2019t just cap performance. It rewires the culture until mediocre becomes normal and ambitious people either blunt their edge or walk out. https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DTdYwsCCeZP\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Team Building&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Team Building","link":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/category\/team-building\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GlassCeiling_sm.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GlassCeiling_sm.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GlassCeiling_sm.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GlassCeiling_sm.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2322,"url":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/2025\/02\/13\/automating-metadata-cleanup-in-revit-a-custom-live-updater\/","url_meta":{"origin":2327,"position":2},"title":"Automating Metadata Cleanup in Revit \u2013 A Custom Live Updater","author":"Ryan Lenihan","date":"13 February 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When working in Revit, copied elements will inherit instance parameter values that should be unique\u2014room numbers, tracking codes, asset IDs, or any other metadata that doesn\u2019t logically carry over. Problem: Copying elements can introduce data inconsistencies if certain instance parameters retain values they shouldn\u2019t. 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A door greeter, a receptionist, an admin. The pitch is always the same: we can automate the visible part of the role, save some money, and nothing important will change. Except something important\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Digital&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Digital","link":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/category\/digital\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/doorman.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/doorman.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/doorman.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/doorman.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/doorman.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitalbbq.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/doorman.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1779,"url":"https:\/\/digitalbbq.au\/index.php\/2024\/02\/01\/better-file-and-folder-management-with-excel\/","url_meta":{"origin":2327,"position":4},"title":"Better File and Folder Management &#8211; With Excel","author":"Ryan Lenihan","date":"1 February 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"An old colleague shared this fantastic Excel file with me when I needed to bulk rename files. 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