I wanted to write about this because it seems to be a trend I'm seeing with a lot of companies who discuss their methodology of approaching automation.

In the most diligent of companies where I have seen some killer automation there is a pattern across the board that strikes semblance with other companies:  Active patterns, lack of anti-patterns, and an adoption of tools that make sense.  If a tool is to be adopted, does it replace another?  Does it serve a similar function of another?