What are the key steps to creating an RPA implementation roadmap?

Evaluate tasks for automation, prioritizing high-volume Goals-cost reduction, efficiency, or error reduction Involve IT, business users and leadership for alignment Choose a scalable RPA platform Validate with POC Create detailed flows and rules before development Build scalable bots with a focus on efficiency Test for errors, compatibility, and security Roll out gradually, starting with less critical processes Train personnel on RPA tools Implement continuous monitoring and maintenance plan Expand RPA to additional processes Define KPIs for regular measurement Ensure RPA processes comply with regulations Regularly review and optimize processes Maintain open channels with stakeholders Create feedback loop for continuous improvement

An RPA-only roadmap is now too limiting. A broader Automation roadmap, integrating RPA as a component, is essential. Bearing that in mind, the assessment stage can play a crucial role. Beyond the most commonly considered KPIs, adopting a Lean approach when assessing processes might work. Often, processes, have been managed by multiple users over extended periods, leading to inefficiencies. These inefficiencies are not just related to the time taken but also to overlapping rules and exceptions that contribute to waste within the process. A Lean assessment focuses on streamlining these processes, identifying areas where waste can be eliminated, and ensuring that automation is applied in a way that genuinely enhances efficiency and value.

Key for the success of the RPA Implementation >Please ensure that the process is standardized >Please evaluate the current users that are managing the process(Parallel execution or sequential execution) >Please evaluate the current volumes and the AHT >Identify the IT applications and the systems with which BOT will interact and ensure that applications are stable >Ensure your IT infra is in place and there are no major connectivity challenges >Evaluate the number of BOTs basis the AHT analysis so that you get the desired output within time to avoid any SLA miss >Evaluate whether BOT required is attended or unattended these are the critical factors for RPA evaluation

Other than evaluating what listed in the article to assess your process, it is important to evaluate the number and quality of the systems that the automation will be navigating, and the format and consistency of the input files. Ensuring that the process is structured enough is a key enabler for the correct selection of a suitable candidate for automation.

Start with the business. Before considering any automation, ensure that: - the business leaders understand the business processes and what people do all day, accurately and completely. - the business processes have been optimised, ensuring they remain fit for purpose, are lean and efficient, deliver value, mitigate risks and maximise customer experience and satisfaction - existing technologies, services, teams etc are being leveraged to their maximum - including investment in ‘true’ application integration services After you’ve done this, then see where further optimisation and time savings could be delivered via automation. Don’t ever think that automation is the solution to a business issue until you know your business is already fit.

Automation is imperative for businesses seeking enhanced efficiency and accelerated results. The integration of automation not only expedites processes but also empowers employees to meet and exceed their targets. When requirements are transparent and expectations are consistently met, businesses should strategically consider budget allocation for the implementation of new technologies and products. This extends beyond specific Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools, encompassing broader business transformation and innovative approaches. Such a holistic approach optimizes organizational functions, fostering sustained growth and adaptability in an ever-evolving business landscape.

One thing I would like to really highlight here is the mistake developers are often making. Do not try to build RPA that is simulating exactly the same steps as the human employee does, e.g., if user clicks button, RPA should do the same. Try to really understand the goal of the process, understand deeply the software you’re about to automate, to find alternative methods, like use of keyboard shortcuts, scripts, or even maybe - discover digital endpoints which can be used to automate the software using DPA, instead of RPA.

Tools such as Visio or PowerPoint to draft flowchart with detail on the steps and decision points are really helpful to design the flow of an automation. Having a simple but accurate design allows to evaluate the automation under multiple lens. In my experience, it happened that the design revealed the solution over-complicated, therefore difficult to maintain in the long run. Design the solution is a source to check the correct development of the automation. This step should be faced with a critical eye from the Team, and not as a routine task to be thick out of the checklist. Thinking critically and with an eye on the future of the automation will help design the best solution possible.

In optimizing our RPA design process, I propose the establishment of a dedicated design and governance team. This specialized unit would meticulously create blueprints, outlining how our software robots interact with applications, systems, and data sources crucial to our processes. By entrusting design precision to experts, we streamline the process, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and industry best This team systematically ensures that solutions meet requirements. This structured approach not only aids automation developers but also establishes a robust governance framework, fostering consistency and quality in our RPA initiatives.

With any software testing is crucial, but with RPA I'd definitely recommend not skimping on the testing side of things. As humans, we can often underestimate the amount of contextual processing our brains are actually doing whenever we're performing a task. Trying to distil that down into a series of instructions so well-defined that it will work every single time without fail is a complex task and we should be careful not to assume we've done it perfectly. Take the time to think about rare 'edge' cases that might break your flow, focus on creating tests that will simulate your 'worst-case' or 'most difficult to handle' scenarios, and always, always, challenge the assumptions you made when you designed your automation.

An RPA solution should be seen as a colleague that repeats is tasks over and over rather than an autonomous entity that doesn't need to be checked on. That's why, to ensure high performances, an automation should always be supervised and updated to match the newest best practices and changes in the process flow. Scale the solution in my opinion must be split in two: 1. Scale the current scope of solution to automate more steps 2. Scale the automation across different areas and departments of the company In the first case it is really important to evaluate carefully the complexity that will derive from the new automation before proceeding. In the ladder, other considerations of more senior people should be done before proceeding.

"The Final Step" makes it sound like there will be a completion, but really Step 5 - Optimize and Scale your RPA Solution is forever ongoing and critical to an overall program. You will ALWAYS need to identify issues, errors and bottlenecks. You should ALWAYS look for opportunities to improve and enhance. You should look to partner with other departments to expand the program and gain more value. You will ALWAYS need to continue to sell the RPA program and it's benefits to executive leadership. This is why it can be incredibly beneficial to partner with a trustworthy and credible RPA Partner, like The Silicon Partners, who can help advise and accomplish the above.

1. Define Objectives 2. Assessment of Current Processes 3. Stakeholder Involvement 4. Technology Selection 5. Pilot Implementation 6. Design Robust Processes 7. Data Management 8. Security Measures 9. Training and Change Management 10. Scale Up Gradually 11. Continuous Improvement 12. Monitoring and Maintenance flexibility is crucial in adapting the RPA implementation roadmap to changing business needs and technological advancements.

Here are the ways for creating an RPA implementation roadmap: 1. Ease of submitting Automation ideas: It's should be easier for different business units to submit their ideas so that automation pipeline has good numbers of processes that has to be automated. 2. Discovery calls: Discovery calls should be there in order to understand and document each process properly. 3. Assessment calls: Based upon the functional and technical assessment the complexity of the usecase should be defined. 4. Solution design: The architecture of the project should be clearly defined. 5. Development: Best practices should be used for development. 6. Testing should be detailed enough with all the possible scenarios. 7. Hypercare and than prod deployment

Especially when it comes to big Automation projects with multiple implementations, it can be really useful to start leveraging Process Mining. Process Mining is a technology that allows an automated process discovery approach, and uses data available from the ERP systems of a company to deeply analyze how a process is executed. This technology identifies all sort of inefficiencies (loops, repetitions, bottlenecks, variants) affecting your process, and also it provides metrics to evaluate how much those inefficiencies are affecting the performances of your process. Process Mining simplify the identification, evaluation and prioritization of opportunities suitable for Automation, so ironing out questions on profitability and suitability.