Getting started with automation can be a daunting task. A casual search on google reveals several articles and blog posts advising on the best ways to get started, and top tips when looking at automation. Whilst helpful, too much information can make it hard to make progress at getting started. Coupled with the fear of high, escalating implementation costs, many organisations struggle to make progress with introducing automation. And even if they do get started, achieving RoI is yet another challenge to overcome. At Maximise IT, we’ve brought 15 years of project delivery experience to bear in developing a product and technique which would make getting started with automation as quick, pain free and cost effective as possible. Here is the 5 step process we can take you through to get automation up and running in the quickest time-frame possible with the maximum RoI;
Step 1 – Questionnaire. When you engage with us we’ll first ask you to complete a questionnaire about your business and where you think automation will be beneficial. This will be approached through a series of questions which are designed to make you think holistically about your business and really draw out the areas where automation could be helpful. This exercise will also get you in the right frame of mind, and thinking about the right areas for the second phase.
Step 2 – Half Day Workshop. Following on from the thinking carried out in the questionnaire this session will enable us to dig deeper into how automation will work for you. We will explain the various kinds of automation and approaches that can be taken. By understanding your business and objectives, drawn out via the questionnaire and discussion we can help frame what the correct approach to automation is for you. We will work with you to identify some specific use cases where automation may be applicable.
Step 3 – Discovery. In step 3 we will spend a few hours with some people in your organisation who understand the detail of the processes which have been identified as candidates for automation.
We can conduct process mining using our technology as well as carry out interviews and observations of employees. This detailed discovery session will give us a clear view of the potential for automation within the tasks identified from step 2.
Step 4 – Output and Reporting. In step 4 we will present back to you a proposal and business case of what we have learnt. We will provide recommendations of which areas of the business could be automated and where applicable we will provide a business case with anticipated RoI to be gained from automation. We will also create a short demonstration to bring this to life, making use of our automation platform SmartFlow to show you exactly what the automated processes would look like in real life, and exactly how the business would use them.
Step 5 – Implementation. Step 5 is optional and is an implementation phase. In step 5 we will give you the opportunity to implement SmartFlow into your business so that you can immediately start to reap the benefits of automation*. SmartFlow is designed so that it can be fully implemented by you with little or no support from us. However, we are always here to support you in the implementation and running of the solution to make sure it is successfully embedded and providing ongoing RoI.
The above process can be run over a time frame to suit you. Typically, the programme will run over a 1 to 2-week period.
* In implementation the licence cost of the software is not included in the consultancy package. To progress with implementation the software must be purchased in a monthly or annual licence.