It is important to note that all levels of the Autonomous Framework use the same scope, simply defined as the ‘system’. This allows anyone utilizing the framework the flexibility to define what constitutes a system. For the purposes of this white paper, it is defined as follows:

An arrangement of hardware and software that facilitates meaningful outcomes and is treated as a single entity for automation purposes.

For each level, the expected degree of automated control is described under System Responsibility. The expected need for human input and intervention is described under Human Responsibility.

It is likely that most organizations have systems in which individual components or aspects are represented at different levels in the framework. This includes Level 0, for those components or aspects that don’t lend themselves to automation at all.

With that in mind, use this framework to provide a frame of reference:

• When evaluating the current automation level of the various components or aspects of a system
• When developing a plan for improving the automation level of these components or aspects
• When evaluating the automation capabilities of new software or hardware components