What is the recommended technique to diagnose issues while automating a process?

Adding extensive logging is a crucial technique for diagnosing issues while automating a process. Logging provides a detailed record of the execution flow, including the values of variables, the time each operation takes, and where failures occur. This information is invaluable for identifying the root causes of errors and understanding how the automation interacts with the application's user interface and backend systems.

With comprehensive logging, a developer can trace back through the execution of the automation to pinpoint precisely where things went wrong. It aids in monitoring the health of the automation, allowing for realistic assessments of performance and reliability. Furthermore, logs can serve as documentation for how the automation operates, which can be beneficial for future troubleshooting or enhancements.

Other techniques, such as using Try/Catch blocks, can help manage exceptions when they occur but do not inherently provide clarity on underlying issues after an error has happened. Running in normal mode may not reflect the nuances of how the process behaves under different conditions and might miss edge cases that could lead to errors. Skipping activities that cause errors does not address the problem and often leads to missed opportunities for fixing issues or understanding the affects on the overall process. Thus, extensive logging stands out as the most effective approach for diagnosing issues.