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# The Four-Question Automation Filter
- URL: https://www.theheadroomhq.com/the-four-question-automation-filter/
- Published: 2026-06-05T05:13:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-30T10:08:59.000Z
- Description: This page explains the Four-Question Automation Filter and its relevance to business operations.
- Author: Headroom Editorial Team
- Tags: Glossary, D06 - Technology Coherence, D05 - Measurement Sophistication, D01 - Process Documentation Coverage

## D06 - Technology Coherence

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### Definition

A four-question filter test applied before automating any task: 

- Does it eliminate more than two hours per week?
- Does it require intelligence rather than judgment?
- Is the output usable with less than 20% editing?
- Do failures fail predictably rather than silently?

Most automation failures happen because the wrong task was automated — one that requires judgment, one whose output cannot be trusted without heavy editing, or one where failures surface only after they have caused real damage. 

The Four-Question Automation Filter exists to catch all three failure modes before the automation is built.

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### Indicators

- An automation was built that still requires significant editing or oversight to be usable.
- An automated output was acted on before being verified, and the output was wrong.
- No defined criteria exist for what tasks should be automated versus better left to human execution.

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### Quick Win

- Pick one task you are considering automating.
- Answer these four, yes or no:
1. Does it eliminate 2+ hours/week?
2. Is it intelligence, not judgment?
3. Is the output usable with <20% editing?
4. Does it fail predictably?
- If all four answers are yes, proceed. If any answer is no, do not automate this task yet.

---

### Assess

- [Take the HQ Score Assessment](https://www.theheadroomhq.com/hq-score/)

---

### Apply

- [The Headroom HQ AI Starter Kit](https://theheadroomhq.gumroad.com/l/the-headroom-hq-ai-starter-kit??ref=theheadroomhq.com)

---

### Related

- [AI Adoption Filter](https://www.theheadroomhq.com/ai-adoption-filter/)
- [No-Code Automation](https://www.theheadroomhq.com/no-code-automation/)
- [Pilot-and-Report](https://www.theheadroomhq.com/pilot-and-report/)