Robotic Process Automation

I transferred into the Robotic Process Automation COE from Order Management. I advocated for the transfer in order to automate the manual compliance checks for order placement. My ultimate strategic goal was to reduce head count by 50% in the Order Management team by changing the daily workflow.

As a test to achieve this strategic goal, I was there to automating my compliance-checking workflow. If successful, this would automate approximately half of my daily work, or 1400 hours/year. 

1. Specifications collection
   Document the process in Microsoft word based on my historical experience. Translate the workflow into a visual diagram in Microsoft Visio (as below image). Review the diagram with Order Management teammates to ensure that I covered all scenarios. 

2. Development
   After receiving my Blueprism (robotic process automation software) credential, use the low-code interface to build the process in a test environment. 

3. User Testing
   Put the completed process through user acceptance testing (UAT) by coordinating with team members in Order Management. 

4. Production
   Launch the process in coordination with the production launch manager and work in tandem to overcome any technical issues. 

Launched a low-code process into production that eliminated 1400 hours/year per virtual machine used. To automate the work of more than one associate, the same process could be launched on multiple virtual machines at the same time. 

1. Business operations cannot run on technology alone - people are the center of well-run business operations.
   In order to maintain team motivation, you have to balance technological efficiency improvements with change management techniques. Building the software is easy, but ensuring that the right people are in-place to maintain and build upon your legacy is the harder (and arguably more important) part of the job. 

2. Managing a project from inception to launch is the best way to gain empathy for the customer perspective.
   Each step of building this process required that I coordinate with my customers (order management associates). I learned a little more about questions, concerns, and also positive responses each time that I met with someone on the team. 

3. As operation teams rely more IT solutions, they should install specific technical operator roles within the team to grow their cross-functional capabilities. 
   Low-code software makes it easy for operational associates to identify and build processes for automation. However, launching to production and the continued scalability of the results relies on a technical skillset to configure the virtual machines that run the processes.