Why RPA when Business Integration is always possible?
Coming from IT background, when I started on RPA; my initial struggle was to understand ‘Why RPA’ (which is nothing but an integration approach at the “presentation layer”) when the similar results could be achieved by building the traditional integration components at the “business logic layer”. After talking to multiple people and clients; I believe this question is not uncommon, especially from the folks at client’s IT department! In fact, RPA is like going against the idea of popular ‘service-oriented architecture’ or ‘liquid application’ implementation.
However over the period of time; I have realized multiple advantages RPA offers over conventional business logic integration, at least as a short term solution. Some of the key advantages are;
· Today’s organizations have diverse IT applications either because of their changing IT strategy or multiple M&A they have gone through. This presents a huge challenge when any business logic integration is being considered. RPA on the other hand, addresses this issue with its ability to integrate with varied IT applications easily.
· How the IT applications have been developed (Mainframe, Client-Server, Web Applications, Products), deployed (On-Prem / Private Cloud / Public Cloud ) & accessed (Citrix, VDI) doesn’t pose any significant challenge for RPA implementation. However this could be a huge consideration for a traditional ‘business logic layer’ integration
· RPA can be fast and relatively easy to implement compared to business logic integration.
· RPA doesn’t need any changes to the underlying applications.
· Because RPA implementations are fast and doesn’t involve any changes to the underlying applications; RoI of RPA implementations is very attractive. This itself means that RPA provides additional opportunity to integrate even those processes which otherwise wouldn’t have made any business sense.
· Unlike the “business logic layer” integration components; changing the RPA implementations is much easy both from cost & time perspective. This brings agility & adaptability.
Having said that, RPA has some limitations too and can’t replace traditional integration totally. In some cases, it just can’t be an option and in some case it can just be a short term solution before it is replaced by a long term (but expensive) business logic integration initiative.
Happy Automation!!
International Business Consultant - Helping transform good ideas, products, and services into GREAT Businesses
8 年Very good article, I agree with Iswar Dixena. When we created Jidoka, a little before the RPA term was coined, we were doing just that extending other integration SOA and CEP projects because of the need of more agile implementation and obviously better ROI. Now, although we analyse and build our workflows from a Business point of (Top Down) our platform security, authorizations, and robot governance is strict enterprise IT rules which tends to keep everybody happy!
RPA Entrepreneur and Developer
8 年Suhas, thanks for putting this business benefits explanation together.
DGM - Application | Digital Innovation & Technology at Schneider Electric
8 年Nice article !! Just want to add that RPA addresses a different set of automation. Robotic automation extends and complements Business integration and SOA initiatives which are attacking the automation challenge from a different, top down, IT driven angle. Robotic automation is aimed at small-to-mid size automation initiatives. Where speed and size and agility are major factors, then robotic automation is often the fastest and most efficient approach. When larger initiatives are required with a fuller “Business Process” character then BPMS ( Business integration) may be better suited.
Business Consulting | Finance Transformation Pure Play Process Led | Mainstream ERP Improvements | Satellite Tech (Blackline, Trintech, Automation Tools | Op Model Design
8 年Hi Suhas , excellent article and useful insights. Since I am not a technical guy, can you help me understand what do we mean by 'traditional integration components at the “business logic layer'. Can you give an example of this?
Leiter Digital Sales Versicherung I Transformation in der Versicherungsbranche I Digitalisierungs-Rainmaker I Leadership & Management I Basketball-Liebhaber
8 年Suhas great article and absolutly a main point in any organization. I think that the main thing is to make clear, when it can’t be an option for only a short term logic and when this would be a short solution before it is replaced by a long term Business logic. And this is often not as easy...