The BEST processes to automate are those that are:

Being performed by Service Operations is not a criterion for automation suitability - complex or poorly defined operational processes are poor automation candidates.

The number of people performing a process does not indicate whether it is appropriate for automation; volume is not a substitute for process clarity.

Criticality to the business mission is not sufficient justification alone - critical but complex processes can be high-risk to automate without thorough understanding.

Automating processes that are simple and well understood ensures the logic being automated is correct, repeatable, and stable. ITIL cautions that automating a poorly understood or complex process risks scaling the mistakes embedded within it, so clarity and simplicity are prerequisites for successful automation.