The Right Operating Model for Effective RPA Deployments

Today, the term Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is enjoying mindshare among a growing number of business executives globally. While it evokes different emotions ranging from excitement due to its possibilities to scepticism among the naysayers it’s clearly here to stay. For example, HfS Research found that 53 percent of 2,000 large global firms are planning significant RPA investments in 2018.

In order to effectively implement large scale, enterprise-wide digital transformation programs, organisations and practitioners need to embrace a Robotic Operating Model (ROM®) and the formation of a RPA Centre of Excellence (CoE).

The journey from Proof of Concept (PoC) to industrial scale, pervasive RPA implementation requires organizations and RPA practitioners to embrace the ROM® framework effectively as this serves as the foundation to implement large scale, enterprise-wide digital transformational programs. In this regard, let’s explore the components of the framework needed to create a robust and effective COE.

In order to effectively implement large scale, enterprise-wide digital transformation programs, organizations and practitioners need to embrace a Robotic Operating Model (ROM®) and the formation of a RPA Centre of Excellence (CoE).

• Organization: Deciding whether a centralized, decentralized, federated, etc., structure is the best fit for your organization. Roles and Responsibilities of the team members fulfilling different requirements of the structure are paramount for effective functioning of the COE to accomplish the vision and mission it has set out to achieve.
• Process: Identifying the “right processes” for automation. It is important to start “right” as success breeds success. RPA is more about “Value” than it is about “Costs” – and it is important to amplify this “Value Target” as the outcome of creating a digital workforce. Do not underestimate the importance of documentation during design and implementation. Suitable process redesigns can help weed out inefficiencies right at the design stage. Running the post implementation architecture, maintaining the infrastructure and ongoing change management is as critical as developing the software robots.
• Technology: It is imperative that the right RPA implementation partners are selected to ensure the chances of success are optimized. Building the right technology architecture stack for scale and implementation of alliance partners (for e.g. the TAP program of Blue Prism) to solve different business problem is as important as other constituents of this framework as it prepares the groundwork for future scale and coverage.
• Governance: RPA is as much about proper change management as it is about the robot. The need for a governance board comprising various stakeholders to provide direction, guidance and support to the CoE is paramount in ensuring change management can be effective.
• Compliance: Get your compliance and Info-sec teams involved in the program from the very beginning. These teams will need to be educated with the necessary processes created from both the compliance and info-sec perspectives to enable your “digital workforce” function effectively.
• People & Culture: Team selection plays a very important part – it can make or break your transformation agenda. Choosing the right team members, fitting in with your organization structure goes a long way in making enterprise RPA programs successful. Your “RPA team” are your “transformation evangelists” – the change agents who drive the transformation agenda. Training becomes a core pillar to enable these “change agents,” and authorized training partners like Symphony Ventures help to accelerate this RPA journey with robust training methodologies.

An RPA journey can provide a number of lessons. Mistakes can happen. Therefore, it is important to fail fast and early, learn, adapt and progress further. Experienced implementation partners like Symphony Ventures, with their wealth of experience, help to mitigate risks and deliver a successful transformation programme.

The journey from Proof of Concept (PoC) to industrial scale, pervasive RPA implementation requires organizations and RPA practitioners to embrace the ROM® framework effectively as this serves as the foundation to implement large scale, enterprise-wide digital transformational programs. In this regard, let’s explore the components of the framework needed to create a robust and effective COE. k for future scale and coverage. and authorized training partners like Symphony Ventures help to accelerate this RPA journey with robust training methodologies.

About Symphony Ventures

Symphony Ventures is a global consulting, implementation and managed services firm specializing in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Intelligent Automation and other inspired delivery models to help enterprise clients digitize operations. Symphony has clients in more than 23 countries in every major industry and works with leading software providers including Blue Prism, eNate and UiPath. In response to changing market trends, the company continues to expand its digital ecosystem of tools to offer comprehensive Digital Operations solutions for clients. Symphony has headquarters in London and offices in the U.S., Poland, Latin America and India. Founded in 2014, Symphony has been ranked an RPA Service leader by HfS Research, a leading service delivery automation (SDA) provider by Everest Group, a Cool Vendor by Gartner and received the 2017 Blue Prism Partner Award for Best Practice and Implementation.