1. A method for monitoring performance of equipment located in an automation environment, comprising: identifying a sequence of tasks performed by the equipment, wherein each task in the sequence is defined by a series of signals; for each task in the sequence: (a) collecting, using one or more processors, data pertaining to the series of signals; (b) determining a completion time based on the collected data using the one or more processors; and (c) determining, using the one or more processors, a difference between the determined completion time and a predetermined reference value indicative of an expected completion time; repeating (a)-(c) for a plurality of repetitions of the sequence; summing, over the plurality of repetitions of the sequence and using the one or more processors, at least some of the determined differences to calculate an accumulated variance value for each given task; and selectively generating a predictive failure indication based on the accumulated variance values.