Manumation

Manumation is the automation of paper based processes in public sector and business without improvement regarding its efficiency.^[1] Automation of an inefficient process does not lead to an improvement in case of manumation.^[2] This term could be seen as a sarcastic description of the digital replication and mimicking of frequently ineffective and even broken paper-based processes in first phase of the societal digitalisation, from 1995 to 2015.^[1]

Not to be confused with Manumission.

Manumation is also a term for automated systems, which require more manual work than the original manual process.^[3]

Definitions

Origin	Year	Definition
Motamarri Saradhi[4]	1994	"[M]anumation is the narrow interpretation of the work analysis ... as the study of the existing system in view of computerizing its operations"
William K. Holstein and Jakov Crnkovic[5]	2003	Formula for manumation is "Old Processes plus New Technology equals Expensive Old Processes"
Hans J. Scholl[6]	2005	"[C]omputer-aiding existing processes and procedures, while processes and structures basically [remain] unchanged"

Examples

Computerized transaction processing is the automation of previously manual transactions.^[7]

See also

• Semi-automation