We deepen our discussion on automation and weigh more opinions from Barista Magazine Online’s readers.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Featured photo via Unsplash and Getty Images
Welcome to part two of our discussion on automation. In part one of this article, we defined automation and explored both the subtle and overt ways in which it has shown up in the specialty-coffee world. Today, we’ll expand our discussion by exploring more questions around the topic of automation and sharing more insight from Barista Magazine Online’s readers.
Automation Vs. Mechanization
In part one, we shared how certain automation tools, like automatic tampers, are gaining popularity amongst coffee workers looking to make their jobs less physically straining. Andy Newbom, Barista Magazine Online reader and founder of Torque Coffee, explains why he believes utilizing certain automation tools like these doesn’t have to mean eliminating human involvement altogether. He also describes why, to him, differentiating between “automation“ and “mechanization“ can help shift our perspective on the matter.
“The more you automate tasks or processes humans are in charge of, the more (you) abdicate responsibility to the automata,” Andy explains. “However, there are so many repetitive, non-value ‘add things’ that can and should be automated or more properly mechanized. Automation, I do not believe is the answer. Mechanizing easily repeatable non-variables is fantastic. Automating away the whole thing leads to abdication (of) the whole thing.”
So when it comes to automation, where should we draw the line? Every barista and café owner will have a different opinion based on what’s important to them. Some may value the quality and consistency of technologies like, say, automatic pourover systems, while others may find more value in letting baristas brew the coffee, bringing their own personal touch to the process. What you are and aren’t OK with is up to you and what’s best for you and your team.
Effects on Employment: A Double-Edged Sword
Many people who are against automation fear that delegating tasks to technology may result in the loss of barista jobs—and while that is true in many cases, some examples also show that automation can actually help provide employment opportunities to people who may not have otherwise had the chance to work in specialty coffee. Our previous article about Tokyo’s robot-run coffee shop, DAWN Avatar Café, for example, explains how workers with disabilities or limited mobility were able to “avatar work“ at the café by operating robots remotely.
There’s a lot of nuance to discuss when talking about automation’s effects on employment—but there’s much to be said about Andy’s urging to use technology in ways that help humans, rather than eliminate the need for them.
The Value in Human Touch
With so many technological innovations happening in the coffee world everyday, crafting quality espresso-based beverages with little to no human involvement has become easier than ever. However, there’s something about the person-to-person interaction that happens at a coffee shop that makes the café-going experience so special. And that’s something that a robot would never be able to repeat.
When thinking about automation and the effects it can have on the coffee world, we must consider if our value comes from being what we are: human beings. And while there may be technology out there that can craft coffee more efficiently or precisely than we can, each person’s worth comes from the unique energy and perspective that they bring to what they create.
Automation can help make certain processes easier, but it can never replicate the most important aspect of the coffee-making process: human touch. We can only hope that as technology progresses, coffee companies will continue to see the value in humanity as well.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Joy Meneses (she/they) is a writer and musician based in Los Angeles. Her hobbies include foraging, cortados, vintage synths, and connecting with her Filipino roots through music, art, food, and beverage.
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