STEP THREE: Brainstorming
The next step is to work with different stakeholders and consider which processes to automate. The key criteria which should be considered at this stage are processes which:
- Are high in volume, but low in value
- Are rules-based processes
- Involve simple if/then logic
- Involve combining data from multiple sources
You should assess each of these process against business priorities to begin with, and its important to bear in mind that as well as end-to-end processes, you should also consider small components within.
Do I need to start with process mapping?
Both Process Mining and Task Mining are both great tools which can help you uncover opportunities for automation (and much more!) but of course come with costs and their own implementation time. Proservartner would always recommend that when first starting with automation, it is often better to start small, assess processes, choose one which will act as a proof of concept and grow from there. It is important with any sort of digital transformation that you first build credibility around the solution.
Who should be involved?
At the brainstorming phase we would recommend that your automation project has internal support from both management and IT and that subject matter experts are involved in creating a list of candidates for automation. There are no ‘wrong’ answers at this stage and its important to encourage contribution. Getting people excited about the potential of automation will make the whole process quicker.
Key Questions To Ask When Brainstorming
What processes are very time consuming to complete?
What processes frustrating for the employees to do?
What tasks in your business should no human ever have to do?
What tasks are boring and mundane?
If human fatigue was not a factor, what processes in your business that should be done much faster?What processes are susceptible to variation and poor quality?
What tasks in my business are completed in high volumes?
Are there any tasks that don’t change much that are also associated with high wages?
How long is spent on standard reports?
Which processes act as a bottleneck for operations?
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