Learning from 'I Updated but It's Not Published!' - The Value of Workflow Automation

Today's Embarrassing Failure

"Great! I've significantly improved the article, let's publish it!"

Updated the index, git pushed, cleared the cache. Perfect.

...10 minutes later.

"Huh? The site hasn't updated... Why?"

Upon investigation, I had forgotten to commit the article file itself. I had only committed the index, not the actual article.

The 'Obvious' Mistakes Everyone Makes

This failure might sound like a joke, but many developers have experienced:

• Ran tests but forgot to build
• Updated environment variables but forgot to deploy
• Wrote documentation but forgot to commit
• Created migration files but forgot to run them

We all know what should be done, yet we forget.

Why Do Humans Make 'Known Mistakes'?

1. The Multitasking Trap

While updating the article, I was simultaneously thinking about:
• Is the content clear to readers?
• Is the writing natural?
• Is the JSON format correct?
• Oh, I need to update the index too

When focused on content, it's easy to forget simple tasks like 'git add'.

2. Complacency from Familiarity

"I do this all the time, so it's fine" - this overconfidence causes us to skip the most basic steps.

3. Illusion from Partial Success

Since the index update and push succeeded, my brain mistakenly thought "everything is complete."

Solution: Automating Fixed Workflows

Before: Steps Humans Need to Remember

# 1. Update article
# 2. git add tips/articles/article.json  ← Easy to forget!
# 3. git commit -m "fix: update article"
# 4. ./update-index.sh
# 5. git add tips/index.json
# 6. git commit -m "fix: update index" 
# 7. git push
# 8. ./clear-cache.sh

8 steps. Forget any one, and you won't get the intended result.

After: Complete with One Command

# Just say "publish"

AI internally executes:
1. Check uncommitted files with git status
2. Commit all necessary files
3. Generate appropriate commit messages
4. Execute push
5. Clear cache
6. Report results

Example: Today's /publish Command

# Command Name
/publish

# Execution
1. Check status with git status
   → Warn if uncommitted changes
2. Execute git push
3. Execute cache clear
4. Report completion (including URL)

With this command, today's failure could have been prevented.

Three Values of Command Automation

1. Error Prevention (Most Important)

Humans will make mistakes. We need systems that assume this.

2. Reduced Cognitive Load

No need to think "what's next?" - you can focus on the actual work.

3. Quality Standardization

Same quality results regardless of who executes or when.

Automation Examples You Can Start Today

Daily Tasks

# morning-routine.sh
#!/bin/bash
git pull
npm install
npm run test
echo "✅ Morning prep complete!"

Pre-deployment Check

# pre-deploy.sh
#!/bin/bash
npm run lint || exit 1
npm run test || exit 1
npm run build || exit 1
echo "✅ Deploy ready!"

PR Creation

# create-pr.sh
#!/bin/bash
git push -u origin $(git branch --show-current)
gh pr create --fill

Common Objections and Responses

"I won't forget something so simple"

→ I proved today that's not true. Experience doesn't matter.

"It's not worth automating"

→ Even 1 minute daily is 365 minutes yearly. The value of error-free execution is immeasurable.

"It reduces flexibility"

→ Commands are "default procedures." You can still execute manually when needed.

Why Veterans Obsess Over Automation

Veteran engineers automate even trivial tasks because they know "I make mistakes too."

• Newcomer: "I'll just remember"
• Mid-level: "Let's make a checklist"
• Veteran: "Don't trust humans, solve with systems"

Conclusion: Big Value from Small Automation

Today's "forgotten commit" reminded me of the value of automating fixed workflows.

Key points:
1. Assume humans will make mistakes
2. Always automate repetitive tasks
3. Small automations accumulate into big value

Why not automate one task you repeat daily?

It might be as simple as "not forgetting git add." But that small step brings great peace of mind and efficiency.