Robotic Process Automation - RPA (Evaluate and Estimate)

RPA stands for Robotic Process Automation technology to automate business processes. RPA is governed by business logic and structured inputs, aimed at automating business processes. RPA bots can be used to capture and interpret applications for processing a transaction, modifying data, trigger conditional responses. It can also be used to communicate with external digital systems. RPA applications range from automating simple email responses to deploying thousands of bots to completely design workflow management.

Many of us are aware RPA came in early 2000 as a growing technology. The history of RPA says that it had three key predecessors which were Screen Scraping, Workflow automation & management tools, and Artificial Intelligence. RPA still relies on these technologies but uplifts the precision in the process and significantly improves their ability to increase the quality of deliverables to the users.

So, many organizations are working to develop RPA tools. Many vendors working on the implementation of RPA technologies in a wide range of industries like Healthcare, HR, Retail, E-Commerce, Finance, etc. But

·???????How can we understand if RPA fits your organization?

·???????How can organizations evaluate the processes which need to be automated?

·???????What are the different matrix organizations that should consider evaluating the RPA project?

·???????How much manpower effort is required?

·???????How much can we estimate RPA

There are many other questions in mind while onboarding RPA in your organization. In this article, I will try to simplify some of these questions.

Before we jump on to the Evaluation and Estimation topic. Let me quickly cover

Where do we need RPA? Are your processes have any of these situations?

·???????Highly Manual

·???????Highly Repetitive

·???????Information Intensive activity

·???????Too many full-time equivalents (FTEs) required

·???????Coping, validating, pasting, and transforming data between systems, applications

·???????Hopping between applications

·???????Maddening tasks that waste time and energy

·???????Rigorous keystrokes and mouse clicks

There are several ways in which organizations can evaluate RPA projects.

1. Evaluating the ROI of the RPA project: This can be done by calculating the net benefits (cost savings, revenue increases, etc.) resulting from the implementation of the RPA solution and comparing it to the costs of implementation. Calculating the ROI of an RPA project involves comparing the cost savings and revenue generated by the project to the investment made. This can help determine the financial feasibility of the project and determine whether it is a profitable investment.
2. Tracking the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the project: This can be done by tracking the KPIs of the project, such as the number of processes automated, the number of errors, the number of transactions processed, and the average processing time.
3. Examining the user experience and adoption rate: This can be done by surveying the users of the RPA solution to gauge their satisfaction with the tool and how well they have adopted it into their workflows. Evaluating the level of user adoption and acceptance of an RPA solution involves measuring the willingness and ability of users to utilize the automation solution. This can be assessed through user surveys, training sessions, and feedback mechanisms.
4. Measuring the time savings achieved through automation: Calculating the time savings from an RPA implementation involves measuring the amount of time required on manual tasks before and after automation. The time saved by automating tasks can help determine the efficiency gains of the project.
5. Measuring the cost savings achieved through automation: Evaluating the cost savings from an RPA project involves determining the cost of manual tasks before automation and comparing it to the cost after automation. The cost savings generated can be used to calculate the return on investment (ROI) of the project.
6. Assessing the accuracy and consistency of the automation: The accuracy of an RPA solution refers to the ability of the solution to complete tasks with minimal errors. This can be measured by comparing the number of errors before and after automation and analyzing the impact of automation on the overall quality of work and comparing the results of the RPA-completed tasks to those completed manually.
7. Evaluating the scalability and flexibility of the RPA solution: The scalability of an RPA solution refers to its ability to handle increasing volumes of work. Evaluating the scalability of an RPA project involves determining the capacity of the solution to handle increasing amounts of work and identifying any potential bottlenecks in the process. This can be done by testing how well the RPA solution can adapt to changing business processes and requirements.

Once you evaluate your requirements and go through the evaluation process the next step comes to estimate the project

1. Find out which process needs to be automated: This step involves identifying the specific business processes that will be automated, as well as the goals of the automation. It's important to select processes that are well-defined, repeatable, and have a clear ROI. It's also important to involve stakeholders from the business units that will be impacted by the automation to ensure that their needs and goals are considered.
2. Identify and assess the complexities of the processes: In this step, the complexity of the processes to be automated is analyzed. This includes evaluating the number of steps, the number of systems and applications involved, the number of data inputs and outputs, and the level of decision-making required. This information can be used to determine the complexity of the automation and the resources required to complete it.
3. Identify how many resources are required: This step involves identifying the resources required to implement the RPA solution. This includes determining the number of RPA developers and engineers needed, the hardware and software required, and any additional training or support needed. It's important to consider the complexity of the processes and the number of bots that need to be developed, as this will affect the number of resources required.
4. Estimate the costs: This step involves estimating the costs of the RPA solution, including the costs of development, implementation, and maintenance. This includes direct costs such as RPA software licenses, hardware, and infrastructure, as well as indirect costs such as training, change management, and ongoing maintenance and support.
5. Prepare a detailed project plan: This step involves creating a detailed project plan, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables. The project plan should include details on the scope of the project, the resources required, the costs, and the timelines for completion. It's also important to include contingencies and a risk management plan.
6. Identify common risks: This step involves identifying any potential risks associated with the project, such as technical challenges, resistance to change, or lack of buy-in from stakeholders. It's important to have a clear understanding of these risks to develop strategies to mitigate them.
7. Draw benefits: This step involves estimating the benefits of the RPA solution, such as cost savings, increased productivity, and improved data quality. It's important to have a clear understanding of the potential benefits to justify the investment in the RPA solution.

It's important to note that these steps are not necessarily one time and may require iteration. RPA project estimation can be complex and require an understanding of automation, business, and AI. It is better to find a technical RPA person who can help to reduce long-term manual costs.

There is other in-depth perspective required

·???????How to identify complex processes?

·???????How many licenses organizations should have?

·???????How can we migrate processes built in one platform to another?

Feel free to add your comments "what other processes organizations can automate RPA?"

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