by Mr Liu Siyong General Manager, CFB Bots Pte Ltd for the NUS-ISS SkillsFuture Series Seminar: Harnessing the power of Intelligent Software Agents (9 April 2019)
Selecting the right process for robotic process automation (rpa)
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Practical Framework for Automating
your Business Processes
“Automation is good, so long as you know exactly where to put the
machine.”
- Eliyahu Goldratt
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Intelligent Automation – A Continuum
Robotic
Desktop
Automation
with manual
intervention
Robotic
Process
Automation
with digital triggers
or self service
Machine
Learning with
prescriptive
analytics & decision
engines
Artificial
Intelligence
with deductive
analytics
Process-driven
Data-driven
ThinkingDoing
Increasing
complexities &
costs
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Typical RPA Journey and Approach
RPA Awareness POC
Pilot
(Production)*
RPA Opportunity
Assessment
Automation
Operating Model
Design
Automation
Operating Model
Implementation*
Sustainability &
Continuous
Improvement
• Define initial RPA strategy
• Engage business, IT,
Security stakeholders
• Address compliance, SOX
• Design architecture and
set up infrastructure
• Install platform
• Select 2 - 3 processes
• Document & redesign
processes as needed
• Create Design Document
• Automate Processes
• Perform Testing
• Set up baseline
• Go Live (Production)
• Evaluate impact
• Provide hyper-care
• Support change
management if needed
• Implement
governance and
compliance
• Build infrastructure
and address security
• Train COE resources
• Manage RPA process
pipeline
• Automate processes
based on prioritization
• Track and manage
metrics and KPIs
• Manage virtual and
human workforce
• Update COE
processes
• Document lessons
learned and case
studies
• Monitor for performance,
virtual workforce & issue
mgmt.
• Support for issue and
technical support
• Scale down program to
BAU
• Continue to track and
realize benefits
• Continue to work with
stakeholders to identify
incremental automation
opportunities
• Offer RPA-as-a-Service
or Bot Farm
• Continue to review and
improve delivery
capabilities and COE
4
• Educate client on
RPA technology/
benefits/use cases
• Share demos
• Determine how
RPA will apply and
benefit the client
• Identify and
mitigate risks
• Advise client on
RPA vendors
• Advise client on
POC process
selection
• Develop proposal
for PoC/Pilot/
Operating Model
• Engage business, IT,
Security stakeholders
• Install platform
• Select 2 - 3 processes
based on selection
criteria
• Document and
redesign processes
• Automate processes
• Share automation
• Create and socialize
automation video
• Refine RPA strategy
• Conduct end-to-end
process evaluation /
scan
• Select key process
areas
• Conduct interviews
with process
stakeholders
• Collect key data
• Conduct detailed
process assessment
• Develop business
case
• Develop high level
roadmap
• Conduct detailed
vendor analysis and
selection if needed
• Review existing
automation operating
model
• Define future automation
operating model (e.g.
Operating Model
centralized, decentralized,
federated)
• Design automation
operating model (e.g.
demand process,
governance, delivery
model, KPIs, workforce
management, change
management, QA, RPA &
enabling technologies
infrastructure)
• Provide support with
communication launch if
needed
• Support hiring
• Establish COE
1 3 5 62a 2b
Phase 0: Pre-
Engagement
Phase 1: Successful Pilot Phase 2: Rollout Preparation Phase 3: Rollout
Source: UiPath
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Effectiveness vs Efficiency
“The first rule of any technology
used in a business is that
automation applied to an efficient
operation will magnify the
efficiency. The second is that
automation applied to an
inefficient operation will magnify
the inefficiency.”
- Bill Gates
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The Era of Intelligent Automation
According to McKinsey:
• <5% of all jobs can be fully
automated
• ~60% of all jobs have >30% of
constituent activities that can be
automated
https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/
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Break Down Work Into
Tasks That Can Be
Automated
• Repetitive vs. Variable Work
• Independent vs. Interactive Work
• Mental vs. Physical Work
Source: https://hbr.org/2019/02/how-to-break-down-work-into-tasks-that-can-be-automated
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Which Processes Are Suitable for RPA?
Rule-based
High
transaction
volumes
Low
exceptions
Stable & well-
defined
processes
Low system
change
Structured
data &
readable
electronic
inputs
Candidates for
RPA
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Rule of Five
1. No more than
five decisions
2. No more than
five
applications
3. No more than
500 clicks
Source: Forrester - Use The Rule Of Five To Find The Right RPA Process
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SIPOC
• Supplier – Person/Organization
that provides Input to a Process
• Input – Resource that is added to a
Process by a Supplier
• Process – Series of steps where an
Input converts to an Output
• Output – Resource that is the result
of a Process
• Customer – Person/Organization
that receives products or services
S I P O C
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
SIPOC
Customer Requirements
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Process Selection Workshop - Ideation
Identify
Processes (+
Sanity Check)
Process
Categorisation
Process
Mapping
Identify
Automation
Opportunities
Next Steps
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Process Categorization
Inputs
• Digital, Structured – E.g.
electronic forms, databases,
information in IT systems, etc
• Physical or Digital, Structured –
E.g. invoices, application forms,
signed agreement, etc
• Physical, Digital or Voice,
Unstructured – E.g. free text
emails, letters, calls, etc
Activities
• Rule-based – E.g. simple rules in
a workflow, simple decision
tree, etc
• Complex rules – E.g. work
based on many parameters with
many outcomes, requires
human judgement, etc
• Cognitive – E.g. working with
complaints
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Process Mapping - Automation Canvas
UnstructuredStructuredDigital
Rule-based Complex Cognitive
Simple support calls/webchat
Invoice processing
Swivel chair processes Applications through websites
Applications
Complex support calls Customer complain calls
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Identify Automation Opportunities
Unstructured
RPA + Chatbot
RPA + Chatbot + ML
(optional)
MLStructured
RPA + OCR
RPA + OCR + ML
(optional)
ML
Digital
RPA RPA + ML (optional) ML
Rule-based Complex Cognitive
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Prioritization of Automation Opportunities
Unstructured
RPA + Chatbot
RPA + Chatbot + ML
(optional)
MLStructured
RPA + OCR
RPA + OCR + ML
(optional)
ML
Digital
RPA RPA + ML (optional) ML
Rule-based Complex Cognitive
Legend:
Do now
Do next
Investigate
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Next Steps
Scoping Considerations
Identify productivity opportunity with
minimum cost savings benefit of $x per project
Project is scalable within the organization
RPA will mitigate a compliance risk
Data is digital & structured
Process is repeatable
Process is documented with an SOP
Resources can be committed & dedicated to
the project
Subject Matter Experts are available
Project Preparation
•Opportunity to partner with process improvement
teams to prep processes for RPA
•Speed & simplification mindset is key
Process Expertise
•Critical to have a SME on a project to provide
prescriptive process steps
Productivity & more!
•Enable increased process quality & speed, provide
capacity & ensure compliance
•Opportunity for employees to learn a new technology
& increase digital knowledge
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The Three Laws of
Robotic Process
Automation
1. The purpose of the RPA software robots
is to augment the existing human
workforce.
2. The human managers are responsible for
the actions of the RPA software robots.
3. The learning and development needs of
the RPA software robots are no less than
that of the human employees.