I like this metaphor:

Quote Originally Posted by Toadie-Odie View Post
It's like shouting at your kid "do something!" and then end up angry because he ran off and did something you didn't want him to do. I don't mind the automaton deciding what action to take but I would like to fine tune the message the maneuvers carry to my automaton, so that it's saying more than just "do something!".
Like your kid multitasking by picking up the cat and starting to chew on its head while he or she completes a task because that task brings the kid within ten feet of the long-suffering cat, the Automaton can perform an undesired or flatly terrible weapon-skill because maneuvers control those as well.

Given, weapon-skill priority is more an issue with the melee frames, but still seems worth mentioning in any discussion.