RPA Decision Tree

As you may have already experienced, process automation and machine intelligence is taking off exponentially across all industries. Just like day trading the stock market, one has to be careful where to play and how to play. If you’re not careful, you may end up “paving the cow path" which can only be visible in hindsight.

This brief article is not a recommended approach but a simple exploration that any organization should consider to maximize return on investment for process automation. So, let’s get started!

The Process Automation Due Diligence

In Figure 1 below, the block diagram suggests preconditions to consider before deciding to invest in process automation. More specifically, the answer to all questions or criteria below should be a resounding YES. Let’s examine each of these beginning with strategic processes.

Figure 1

Strategic Process?

It should go without saying that where to apply process automation should start with strategic business processes. How to arrive at these processes is out of scope for this article but can be summarized as any business or manufacturing process that an organization considers differentiating in their industry or segment. If unsure, contact your function’s VP for guidance. If yes, go to the next question.

High Volume Process?

A process that is high volume, high transaction, high frequency is a great candidate for process automation given the economic scale and potential return on investment. Obviously, volume is a definition that will be unique to each organization or industry. Low volume strategic processes should be placed in the hopper for consideration, however, high volume processes should take priority. If yes, go to the next question.

Stable Process?

If you have multiple locations that perform the same process, do they all follow the same flow or are they able to wiggle the flow or sequence based on individual preferences. For example, if a local purchasing agent buys maintenance spare parts, are they able to place an order with a vendor without a requisition even if required by corporate procurement. This practice is commonly known as “maverick buying” but speaks to the concept of the potential variation in process flow. Process mining is an excellent approach to validate this question. CiKATA has partnered with Celonis to leverage best-in-class intelligent automation solutions. If the process is considered stable, go to next question.

Manual Process?

Manual processes are those that represent a high volume of transactions within thick or thin client applications and/or filling out standard paperwork, endorsing non-digital documents, etc. CiKATA assesses this section using level 4 process mapping which also pulls in the questions below. The key to this question is whether the manual process is a good candidate for process automation. If yes, go to the next question.

Rules Based Process?

This process criteria considers whether there are “one” set of rules that govern the work flow. Centralized or corporate shared services such as HR, Supply Chain, Finance, Accounting, Legal and IT offer a rich source of opportunities for rules based processes for process automation. If yes, go to the next question.

Standard Input(s)?

Standard inputs refer to paper or digital work-in-process that is consistent and/or standard within or between functional workflows. In other words, regardless of the manual or digital nature of the workflow, they are standard across the organization. Level 4 swim-lane process mapping and a full functional SIPOC analysis great at vetting process inputs as standard or non standard. If yes, go to the next question.

Structured Input(s)?

Structured inputs are vital to allow process automation applications to function friction free. Structured inputs are those inputs that can be read, analyzed and processed without exceptions. Examples of structured inputs are excel spreadsheets, readable PDF’s, thick or thin client applications with formatted cells and tabs that can easily be configured for automation. Unstructured inputs include websites, free form emails, scanned images or media not easily read by process automation applications. Transforming unstructured to structured inputs can be considered an initial step. If yes to this question, a process automation proposal may be a next step in the journey depending on the organization’s journey stage.

Putting It All Together

The purpose of this article was provide a starter decision tree for considering process automation in any organization. There are many sources for this information that are readily available from leading providers such as Blue Prism, UiPath and Automation Anywhere. It’s highly recommended to start the automation journey with a clear understanding of which business processes are vital to your organization’s strategy for differentiation and organization footprint. As shown in Figure 1, all “NO” answers should circle back to a process transformation project or initiative.

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