Dustin Wilson began his career as a developer but realized he craved something different. He switched paths to become a solutions engineer in professional services and has been doing so for over 6 years now. With a wide range of experience, he has some advice for those in the RPA (robotic process automation) space.
As someone who has seen many organizations succeed and fail to implement or migrate their RPA estate, Dustin believes that to truly realize the full potential of RPA, it is crucial to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) dedicated to automation.
What does an RPA CoE do? Provide Structure and Collaboration
An RPA CoE is a centralized team responsible for managing the development, deployment, and maintenance of RPA bots across the organization. The CoE typically consists of subject matter experts with in-depth knowledge of RPA technology and its potential applications. They work closely with business units to identify areas where RPA can add the most value, and then design, develop, and deploy bots to automate those processes. The CoE also provides ongoing support to ensure that bots continue to function properly and deliver the desired results.
Who should implement an RPA CoE? Every Organization
Organizations of all sizes can benefit from an RPA CoE. Even small organizations with a limited number of RPA initiatives can benefit from the structure and governance provided by a CoE. Larger organizations with many bots deployed across multiple business units can significantly benefit from a centralized CoE to ensure consistency and scalability.
How to succeed with an RPA CoE? Enablement
Enabling your CoE is crucial for a successful RPA implementation and to reap its full benefits. Here are some of the reasons why enabling your RPA CoE is so important:
- Ensure Consistency and Governance
The CoE establishes clear processes, guidelines, and governance standards for citizen development, ensuring that all bots meet the organization's standards for security, compliance, and performance.
- Scale RPA Initiatives
An RPA CoE enables an organization to scale up RPA initiatives by ensuring that all bots are developed, deployed, and managed consistently. With the help of a CoE, organizations can efficiently manage all bots, even as their RPA footprint grows.
- Support Continuous Improvement and Innovation
An RPA CoE can act as a hub for innovation and continuous improvement in RPA. Automation Center of Excellence teams stay up to date with the latest developments in RPA technology and identify new opportunities for automation, which can help organizations stay ahead of the curve and reap maximum benefits from RPA.
- Maximize Return on Investment (ROI)
With a CoE in place, organizations can identify areas where RPA can add the most value and focus on high-impact areas. This approach ensures that RPA initiatives deliver maximum ROI for the organization.
Overall, an RPA CoE is a crucial component of a successful automation program. By establishing structure, governance, and processes, an organization can maximize the value of RPA and ensure scalability. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, implementing an RPA CoE is an essential step in realizing the full potential of RPA.
