How do you create a process automation roadmap?

2 Define your future state

The next step is to define your future state of processes and set the vision, goals, and metrics for process automation. You should align your process automation objectives with your business strategy and priorities, and communicate them clearly to your stakeholders. You should also define the expected benefits and outcomes of process automation, such as cost savings, quality improvement, customer satisfaction, or revenue growth. Additionally, you should establish the key performance indicators (KPIs) and targets that will measure the success of your process automation initiatives.

3 Prioritize your processes

The third step is to prioritize your processes based on their suitability and feasibility for process automation. You should evaluate your processes according to various criteria, such as complexity, frequency, volume, variability, standardization, or compliance. You should also consider the technical and organizational factors that may affect the implementation of process automation, such as data availability, integration requirements, security risks, or change management. Based on your assessment, you should rank your processes from high to low priority and select the ones that offer the most value and impact for process automation.

5 Design and test your automation solutions

The fifth step is to design and test your automation solutions according to your process specifications and standards. You should follow the best practices and methodologies for process automation development, such as agile, scrum, or waterfall. You should also involve the end-users and stakeholders in the design and testing phases, and collect their feedback and suggestions. Moreover, you should conduct various types of testing, such as unit testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing, or performance testing, to ensure the quality and functionality of your automation solutions.

6 Deploy and monitor your automation solutions

The final step is to deploy and monitor your automation solutions in your production environment and track their performance and results. You should plan and execute a smooth and secure deployment process, and communicate the changes and expectations to your end-users and stakeholders. You should also provide adequate training and support to your end-users and stakeholders, and address any issues or challenges that may arise. Furthermore, you should monitor and measure the KPIs and outcomes of your automation solutions, and report the value and impact to your end-users and stakeholders. Additionally, you should review and update your automation solutions regularly, and identify new opportunities for improvement and innovation.