Toil Audit + Automation Sprint for a Platform Team
Overview
What this challenge is about.
Week 1-2: every team member logs every toil instance for 10 working days (timestamp, category, duration). Categorize using the Google SRE toil taxonomy (manual, repetitive, automatable, tactical, no enduring value, scales linearly with service growth). Score top 15 candidates by (frequency × avg duration × automation feasibility). Week 3-4: automate the top 5. Re-measure for 5 working days. Deliver toil-log dataset (anonymized), prioritized backlog, 5 automation PRs (or design docs if larger), and a 5-page proposal for quarterly toil audits.
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Audit and reduce the platform team's toil burden by automating the top 5 items and prove the reduction with re-measured data.
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Apply the Google SRE toil taxonomy to real operational work
- Score toil by frequency × duration × automation feasibility honestly
- Build small automations that pay back within the sprint
- Design a recurring toil-audit cadence that doesn't decay
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
Careers
Roles this prepares you for.
Real titles. Real skill bridges. Pick the one closest to your trajectory.
Career mappings coming soon.