PeopleCert emphasizes thatarchitecturemust be planned before automating processes. This means mapping the value stream, understanding dependencies, identifying bottlenecks, and defining integration points before selecting or configuring tools.

Automating without a clear architecture can lead to fragmented processes, wasted effort, and technical debt. Once the architecture is sound, teams can implement automation in a way that supports scalability, maintainability, and interoperability.

A(building the toolchain) is important but comes after architecture.C(switching to open source) is a tooling decision, not the first automation step.D(self-service) is a benefit of automation, not the starting point.

Thus,B—Architect before automating—is the correct first step.