The term RPA - Robotic Process Automation is no longer a new thing. It is a technology that will persist and improve the reality of working.
If this technology is still unknown to you, I strongly advise you to learn about it, since good digital transformation practices deeply suggest its use in several business scenarios, in order to improve the way you work. There are many success cases (especially after the beginning of the pandemic) of using robots to fulfill and assist in mechanical tasks. However, despite the potential of this technology, some problems continue to arise in its adoption, implementation, and management. So, I decided to share my analysis to help to improve the implementation of this technology:
– The way in which many companies approach the adoption of RPAs, frequently as a temporary measure to solve a one-time problem in the organization, is incorrect. In the last 20 years, most companies have invested large amounts of money in software with the most diverse purposes, with low returns and difficulty integrating with other systems. As a result of these trials, many of the companies are currently skeptical about the high returns of RPAs. However, it is possible to do much more with less investment, by maximizing its potential. These initiatives should appear as part of an amplified cultural and digital transformation with a cross-sectional impact throughout all departments of organizations. Only then the digital evolution of corporate structures can be made effective. Therefore, the implementation of RPAs should be both strategic and representative of a change in mindset. When adding new processes to an organization, one must first analyze which activities should be delegated and which ones require a critical sense for their realization.
– RPAs initiatives should be carefully planned, engaging experts and various company departments. Even though this type of technology has a fast ROI – Return of Investment, its growth must be supported and planned. RPA projects usually consist of two components: the processes and the robots, with the second being powered by the first. The processes must be analyzed, documented, and in some cases even optimized. This is a job that must be done together with business experts and robotization specialists. The intention is to obtain a detailed and prioritized description of the processes based on their importance and respective impact. Robots should be implemented using technologies that guarantee durability and long-term stability. It can be tempting sometimes to bet on new emerging vendors, whose licenses are more compelling, but this type of investment can turn out to be an expensive one. The implementation teams must have a combined domain of technologies founded on programming bases, the reason for this being the quality of the produced artifacts, which are expected to be easily maintained and integrated with other systems.
– There is a significant increase in the importance of RPA solutions when they include Machine Learning. This technological layer makes robots more capable and comprehensive, turning simple robots into truly disruptive solutions. Capabilities, such as intelligent document recognition or chatbots, transform the way in which organizations evaluate such opportunities. Besides these solutions sometimes add some complexity. Machine Learning is based on a set of algorithms, structures, and strategies to teach rules to a computer system in a dynamic way. Nowadays there are multiple frameworks and abstractions that allow for easy implementation of these solutions together with RPAs.
All things considered, these 3 main points: facing the implementation of robots as a wide strategy, careful planning, and the inclusion of Machine Learning – allows for a maximization of investment in the digital transformation and corresponding success of the RPA initiatives in an organization.
