RPA Integration - People, Process & Technology

People

• Connect appropriate IT functions as early as possible in the robotic process automation (RPA) timeline

• It is essential to be provisioned access to internal networks, applications, and infrastructure early on, but it takes time and approval

• Create a reliable channel of communication between the RPA developers and the project managers

• Problems should be raised to the project managers as early as possible because if they linger without being addressed, they can turn into huge problems quickly.

• Fully establish expectations for handover

• If you plan to hand over a live RPA solution to a support team, you need to ensure that they are provided with full documentation as well as a process and solution overview.

• Identify the support team early and align with their needs during the design and configuration stages

Process

• When automating a process, avoid deviating from the original, agreed-upon scope unless it is a consensus that has been formally signed off

• This prevents misaligned objectives and wasted development time and reinforces the need for thorough planning

• Make sure that the existing processes are fully documented and double-check important metrics and assumptions with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

• Sometimes, SMEs may provide inaccurate or conflicting information that can go unnoticed unless it is cross-checked

• A function not directly related to the implementation needs to be made aware of the impact it may have on the organization as a whole and the organization’s ways of working

• RPA can have significant impacts on downstream processes such as volume bottlenecks

Technology

• RPA objects and components should be built with reusability as a focus. They should be organized into libraries and centrally governed

• This will help you avoid repeating work that has already been completed

• Understand the interactions between supporting applications and RPA when it comes to development and testing

• Make sure you not only enlist application-specific personnel when needed but also test a wide variety of cases to catch potential bugs or problematic interactions