There are some that feel
evidence-based practice (whether of medicine
or management) takes the
human component out of the profession.

I don’t believe that. 

While it’s true that we can
apply knowledge and create algorithms in many situations, sometimes an
algorithmic response is inappropriate, suboptimal, or down right dangerous.

And those times tend to be
the most interesting and unique cases. They’re the places we want to spend more time and effort. 

Automation is rarely appropriate,
or economical, for those exceptions – the complicated, new, or special cases
that can’t be resolved without human intervention.

We need our skilled
professionals to work the scenarios where the evidence runs out, is insufficient,
or doesn’t exactly match the case at hand.  

So, if you’re working on
evidence-based systems, remember this:

1) Automation is a tool not the master. Those implementing it need to respect and
support the people the tool is being designed to serve.

2) Automation and
evidence-based techniques allow people to extend their reach and capacity – to derive
benefit from, and continue to build, the human body of knowledge and
experience.

3) When building
products based on evidence, or best practice, don’t try to answer EVERY question,
or dictate every activity. You’ll never
finish building your product and, if by some miracle you do, you may create
something so confining that no professional will touch it.