Intelligent Automation
Successful Intelligent Automation initiatives start with a shared vision, a willingness for cross-team collaboration and the freedom to work through trial and error. The foundation of implementing successful business process automation lies in choosing the correct processes to automate and selecting the right tools to achieve the desired outcome. Before embarking on deploying intelligent automation solutions, it is important to first think through organizational challenges and internal resistance. By sharing and communicating the potential benefits of Intelligent automation, this should help build momentum for the intelligent automation project.
As organizations navigate the complex terrain of digital transformation, Intelligent Automation, also known as Hyperautomation, emerges as an indispensable tool. Merging traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intelligent Automation propels operational efficiency, which is increasingly critical for businesses worldwide. Despite its potential, many industry leaders grapple with discerning suitable processes for automation and prioritizing initiatives at the onset of digital transformation.
Securing Organizational Support
Benefits of Automation
Buy-in is crucial. A cohesive vision, cross-team collaboration, and an iterative approach form the core of successful Intelligent Automation projects. Selecting the right processes and tools is vital. Overcoming internal resistance and communicating potential benefits catalyze momentum for Intelligent Automation endeavors.
Feasibility Assessment
Before embarking on Intelligent Automation, processes must be rigorously evaluated against several criteria:
Work volume sufficient to justify costs.
Stability of the process in the near term to avoid rework.
Complexity and the number of decision points required.
Availability of structured data, which eases automation. Finance and Accounting often serve as a starting point for Intelligent Automation journeys, but numerous use cases span across all core business functions.
In-Depth Process Analysis
Early Use Case with Proven ROI
Discarding ill-suited processes, remaining candidates are scored against a set of inherent characteristics to produce a feasibility score. This assessment gauges the ease of automation implementation and is a decisive factor in final prioritization.
Key Questions for identifying Intelligent Automation Processes:
Is there a sufficient volume of work that will justify the cost? Some processes might be a great fit for automation but because of the frequency/volume, will not have a sufficient impact or cost saving to justify the upfront and ongoing investment.
Will there be changes to the process in the short term? Processes that use systems which are anticipating changes in the short term should be ruled out to prevent rework.
How many decision points are required? Sophisticated processes that have multiple decision requirements may need a more complex solution (i.e. Artificial Intelligence) and typically should be deferred to a later phase of the rollout.
Is the data structured? While automation can be achieved with unstructured data by combining AI with RPA (e.g., OCR solution), picking processes with structured data offers quicker wins and less complexity.
Finance and Accounting is typically a great place to begin an intelligent automation journey. However, there are multiple intelligent automation use cases across all primary business functions.
Analyze and Evaluate
Once the team eliminates poorly fit processes from the automation initiative, the remaining options should be scored against a set of characteristics inherent to each process.
Process automation professionals have differing opinions when it comes to the specific characteristics that influence the feasibility of automation. However, a comprehensive evaluation of each process is essential to ensure a well-rounded assessment. This evaluation results in a feasibility score, which is a key indicator of how viable it would be to implement automation solutions for each specific process. The feasibility score plays a crucial role in the final prioritization of automation efforts.
Prioritizing Initiatives
Automation priorities must align with desired outcomes and be weighed against key business drivers to formulate an impact score. This score informs the ROI calculation, which includes both qualitative and quantitative benefits. Processes are then ranked and positioned on a prioritization matrix to identify quick wins and those requiring substantial automation investment. A detailed business case should follow to secure executive endorsement.
Scaling the Initiative
Successful implementation of Intelligent Automation hinges on a balanced approach combining meticulous planning with the pursuit of immediate benefits. Conducting a comprehensive assessment of processes across key readiness metrics is essential to frame an effective Intelligent Automation roadmap and prioritize initiatives through a cost-benefit analysis. Establishing a robust foundation early is key to a thriving pilot and eventual Enterprise rollout.
