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54 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2020 the ability to experience, review, react, and change quickly to adapt to changing condi- tions. Whether it's staying home, wearing a mask, telecommuting, or doing nothing, those decisions come from our ability to think and analyze. We rethink, adapt, and thrive. With that in mind, it causes us to rethink other aspects regarding manufacturing. The hot topic over the last decade or more has been automation—automate, automate, auto- mate. Of course, after the initial investment, automation can save on costs. Fewer humans are required, throughput is predictable, and repeatability can be expected. Flip the switch, turn off the lights, and the required products will be ready to ship in 12 hours. Right? Not so fast. Although automation can save costs and provide repeatable results, when something goes wrong, very bad things can happen, as Too Much Automation? The last six months have brought monumen- tal changes to commerce, manufacturing, rec- reation, and almost every aspect of our daily lives. As we slowly begin to emerge from this pandemic, we are finding that what was rou- tine six months ago has drastically changed and may never be the same. This has caused us all to rethink our daily lives and how we go about existing in this new normal. Workplaces have changed for those that still exist, while others have become ex- tinct. Virtual workplaces are gaining traction, as well as telecommuting and more reliance on the internet for virtual meetings, webinars, and many other daily activities that required face-to-face collaboration. For many of us, life has changed forever. We have to rethink our personal lives and adjust to the changing conditions so that we can continue to thrive. As humans, we have Testing Todd Feature Column by Todd Kolmodin, GARDIEN SERVICES USA