1. A method for automating a process in an automation platform, the method comprising: specifying a program that when executed by the automation platform implements the process, the program comprising a process description, and at least one process component; the process description comprising automation instructions, including: process component initialization automation instructions comprising at least one input parameter, and initialized process component execution automation instructions comprising an execution state; each process component: comprising an initialization interface, an execution interface, and at least one of simulation instructions and operation instructions, characterized by output parameters, and operative upon receiving input parameters via the initialization interface to initialize the process component, each initialized process component operative upon receiving an execution state via the execution interface to: execute the initialized process component in accordance with the execution state, and in the absence of operation instructions, to return a simulated output in the format of the output parameters in accordance with the simulation instructions; and executing the automation instructions, comprising: initializing each process component in accordance with the process component initialization automation instructions, and executing each initialized process component in accordance with the process automation instructions.