How do you identify which business processes to automate first?
Start by automating processes that are repeated frequently, take up a measurable amount of people's time, follow sufficiently clear rules and use available data. Also consider the impact of an error and whether a person can review the result. The best first candidate is not the most impressive demo, but work that offers high value, low risk and reasonable effort.
Four questions for the initial shortlist
- How much time does the process take each month?
- How often does an error or delay occur?
- Are the inputs and rules sufficiently clear?
- Can a person review the result quickly?
What not to choose first
A poor first process has many undocumented exceptions, unclear data or a high potential impact on customers, money or operations if something goes wrong. The process may be important, but it needs to be put in order first.
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