Automating to Improve Business Process
I have deliberately titled this piece automating to improve the business process so we are conscious of the cliche "Business Process Automation" which we all know and are actively pursuing whether it improves the process. I will share a story to buttress my point.
I was travelling once and here at this very beautiful airport, I was walking to the check-in counter to have my bags checked in but alas I was stopped by this handsome gentleman who asked me to go use the self check-in machine the same one as below.
I told the gentleman that, I had tried to check-in online but it seems there is a problem and I don't think this machine can solve it but he insisted I try, long story short, the machine didn't work and had to go on the long queue.
So pause and let us have a conversation.
Are you driving some initiative to automate whether it adds improves business process or not, is your automation making simple processes more complex? Is your automation outcome worse than the existing process yet you insist on its use without recourse to the users, this piece is for you.
Things to look out for
This piece is not to discourage anyone automating or to chide the gentleman who directed me to the automated check-in machine, in fact I listened to him to test the process as someone interested automated and has led teams to produce automations in very difficult areas but to encourage teams driving automation initiatives.
MSc, Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
6 个月I believe improving business processes involves a systematic approach to enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and overall performance or uptime like you mentioned. Certain key concepts like identification of gaps(I.e what process inefficiencies are we trying to solve,etc), setting clear objectives and monitoring the process for expected outcomes are important conversations to be had otherwise it might just be another line item in someone’s KPI checked as done yet not achieving the planned objective.