Intelligent/Robotic Process Automation (IPA/RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have become dominant technology topics. Fortunately, there are now providers capable of offering solutions that provide immediate value. It is truly remarkable what can be accomplished quickly, delivering instant benefits to any organization.
In December 2017, we decided to thoroughly examine the available IPA/RPA solution providers and assess their capabilities firsthand. Our evaluation of IPA/RPA focused on more than 130 attributes, which were loosely categorized as follows:
- “Out-of-the-box” functionality
- Connectivity and APIs
- Ability to deliver: input-process-output
- Significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the platform context
- Types of input and variables
- Sequencing (single step and multi-step)
- Processing capability (internal and external)
- Types and extent of outputs
- Cloud vs Hosted vs On-premises
- Configuration versus Customization
- Management and moderation
- Reporting, Business Intelligence (BI), and analysis
- Security
- Current customers
Our analysis, completed in December 2017, involved studying 15 solutions, and we were disappointed to find that over 70% of them exaggerated their capabilities. The results revealed that many of the solutions being marketed today still have a long way to go. However, there is one option that we believe is genuinely worth considering, which you can find here.
Before you embark on any particular path, we strongly recommend conducting a strategic business analysis to define your requirements. To help you get started, you can use the IPA evaluation criteria mentioned above to begin the process.
Based on our experience evaluating Intelligent Process Automation, here are three key takeaways:
- Don’t rely solely on brochures to understand the potential and actual capabilities of a solution—request to see it in action.
- Take the time to thoroughly understand the concepts of Management, Customization, Configuration, and Reporting.
- Discuss the topic of Security with any provider, as it can be a significant differentiating factor.
Alternatively, Better Business by Design may provide the shortcut you need to expedite your journey into Robotic Intelligent Process Automation and/or Artificial Intelligence (AI). Feel free to contact us for more information.