Automation Proof of Concept
Your first step toward automation success!
A Proof of Concept (PoC) is your company's first real-world trial of Robotic Process Automation (RPA). It's an exciting milestone, showcasing immediate benefits and laying the foundation for a successful automation journey.
Bringing business and IT teams together from day one ensures alignment of business goals with technical capabilities, maximizing your PoC's potential.
Primary Objectives
Run the PoC
Executing your automation is exciting, but don't skip the crucial planning and preparation steps. Rushing into programming without thoughtful planning could mean costly revisions later.
Develop a clear vision and strategy
Get everyone onboard! Form an RPA Guiding Coalition of enthusiastic employees to champion automation. Clearly document your vision, strategy, and lessons learned throughout the PoC.
Choose the right automation partner
Partnering with an experienced RPA specialist speeds up success and improves outcomes. Evaluate potential partners carefully—do they understand your business needs, offer clear pricing, and have your best interests in mind?
Define success and failure criteria upfront
Clearly set targets before starting:
- What's the acceptable automation percentage—80%, 100%?
- Should users be able to make small changes?
- What's your expected ROI and timeline?
Stages of a PoC
1. Process Discovery
Brainstorm with your team to identify candidate processes. Consider tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, or low-value.
2. Process Assessment
Prioritize processes with high volume, clear rules, and predictable outcomes. Confirm feasibility with your automation partner.
3. Process Redesign
Map your current process and identify improvements to simplify or speed it up. Create a Process Design Document outlining these changes.
4. Verify Process Steps
Review the documented process with a process expert. Identify potential issues and exceptions early. Capture a screen recording for clarity.
5. Development
With planning complete, the RPA Developer creates the automation using your Process Design Document. Address any questions promptly to minimize revisions.
6. User Acceptance Testing
Have the process expert thoroughly test the automation. Confirm inputs, outputs, and exception handling before proceeding.
7. Hyper-care & Go Live!
Your automation goes live! Closely monitor performance to ensure reliability and handle exceptions seamlessly.
8. Reflect & Improve
Review the successes and lessons learned. Update your documentation, gather user feedback, and refine your strategy to drive ongoing improvement.