Panel 1: Originating a Practical Automation Strategy
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A practical automation strategy involves identifying, prioritizing, and implementing
automation initiatives that yield tangible benefits and align with the organization’s goals and
available internal and external resources. Here are some key steps to develop a practical
automation strategy.
Define Objectives: Clearly articulate the objectives of automation within your organization. Identify the specific pain points, bottlenecks, or repetitive tasks that could benefit from automation. Align the objectives with broader business goals, such as improving efficiency, reducing costs, enhancing customer experience, or enabling employees to focus on higher- value tasks.
Assess Feasibility and Impact: Evaluate the feasibility and potential impact of automating various processes or tasks. Consider factors such as the complexity of the process, availability of suitable automation technologies, potential return on investment, and the level of disruption the automation implementation may cause. Prioritize automation initiatives based on the potential impact and ease of implementation.
Identify Automation Opportunities: Engage with stakeholders, departments, and employees to identify specific areas where automation can bring significant value. Look for tasks or processes that are repetitive, rule-based, time-consuming, error-prone, or require significant manual effort. Explore automation technologies such as robotic process automation (RPA), workflow automation, or AI-driven solutions that can address these opportunities.
Start with Low-Hanging Fruit: Begin your automation journey by targeting quick wins. Identify tasks or processes that can be easily automated with minimal effort and investment but offer substantial benefits. Starting with smaller, manageable projects that encourage confidence, demonstrate the value of automation, and generate momentum for broader initiatives. Work with existing partners to upgrade benefits and engage new partners for investment protection and possible better long-term results.
Collaborate with Key Stakeholders: Involve key stakeholders from various departments and levels of the organization throughout the automation strategy development and implementation. Engage process owners, subject matter experts, IT teams, and employees who are directly impacted by the automation initiatives. Their input, insights, and buy-in are crucial for successful implementation and adoption. Engage your third-party allies as a part of this collaboration.
Build a Business Case: Develop a business case for each automation initiative, outlining the expected benefits, estimated costs, and return on investment. Quantify the impact in terms of time savings, cost reductions, error reduction, increased productivity, or improved customer satisfaction. The business case helps secure necessary resources, gain executive support, and prioritize automation projects within the organization.
Pilot and Iterate: Start with a pilot project to test and validate the chosen automation solution before scaling up. Learn from the pilot implementation, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments. Iterate and refine the automation strategy based on the insights gained during the pilot phase, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with evolving business needs.
Enable Change Management and Training: Automation initiatives often require employees to adapt to new ways of working. Invest in change management activities to communicate the benefits of automation, address concerns, and provide training to employees who will be involved in or affected by the automated processes. Engage employees in the automation journey, emphasizing the opportunities it brings for upskilling and focusing on more value-added activities.
Monitor, Measure, and Optimize: Establish metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor the performance and impact of automated processes. Regularly assess the effectiveness of automation initiatives, identify areas for improvement, and optimize the automation workflows. Continuously evaluate new automation technologies and emerging trends to stay ahead and capitalize on evolving opportunities.
Remember, a practical automation strategy is a dynamic and iterative process. It should align with the organization's goals, leverage available technology partners, and adapt to changing business needs. Regularly review and update the strategy to ensure it remains relevant and effective in driving automation adoption and maximizing the benefits for the organization.