Automation Project Management and Operating Model 4: Moving the AOM to a Steady State

In this session, we will discuss the six key processes of an Automation Operating Model (AOM) and moving that AOM to a steady state before scaling—including best practices.

Topics Covered:

• Fostering a Steady-state and scaling the AOM

• Best Practices in Scaling

• Solving Common Challenges

Target audience: This series is geared more towards a solution architect, CoE, Practice leads, business analysts, and organizational leadership.

Speaker:

Chris Bolin, Senior Intelligent Automation Architect @ Anika Systems and UiPath MVP.

This session was streamed live on August 27 , 2024, 17:00 PM EDT.
Check out our upcoming events at: community.uipath.com
Contact us at: [email protected]

1. Automation
Project Manager

2. Automation Operating Model
(AOM) –Steady State/Scaling

3. 3
1.Session 1 –The Automation
Implementation Methodology –
August 5
th
2.Session 2 –Roles and
Responsibilities –August 12
th
3.Session 3 –The Automation
Operating Model –August 19
th
4.Session 4 –Moving the Automation
Operating Model to a “steady-state
and preparing to scale” –August 26
th
Agenda Slide

4. 4
Six Key Processes of an AOM -Intake

5. 5
Six Key Processes of an AOM –Intake (2)

6. 6
Six Key Processes of an AOM -Design

7. 7
Six Key Processes of an AOM -Develop

8. 8
Six Key Processes of an AOM -Testing

9. 9
Six Key Processes of an AOM -Deploy

10. 10
Six Key Processes of an AOM -Support

11. 11
Six Key Processes of an AOM –Change
Request

12. 12
Steady State Implementation Plan
•Mobilization – Onboarding team members; organizational structure of the CoE; planning resources needed by the CoE
•Iterative Implementation Plan – Defining the processes, tools, and guidance required to meet the operational needs
identified by the Steering Committee. Additionally, providing timelines (roadmap), resources and sequence of operations of the
AOM.
•Tools and Processes – Provide the procedures, tools, processes and deliverables of/from the AOM and establish training.
•Execution – Involves sequencing operations, handling feedback, communicating status, reporting, keeping an eye out for future
changes while applying lessons learned.
Once this iterative approach focusing on Continuous Improvement is mature, the Automation Operating Model achieves a
steady state and is ready for scaling.

13. 13
Steady State Focus Areas
•Technology – Managing Infrastructure, Platforms and Technology Tools to provide for consistency in results and
remove variability.
•License Management – Drives effective utilization and optimize idle capacity and cost for demand planning
•Change Management and Enablement – Alignment and awareness of the AOM objectives and vision to that of the
organization. Provides training and learning options within the AOM while helping the CoE manage change.
•Quality Assurance – Involves systemic monitoring, implementing quality checks and setting up process gates.
•Operational Support – Setting up service definitions (complexity, etc), SLAs and a support model to help plan the
future resources needed to maintain steady state for both services and robots.
•Reporting and Analytics – Consistent, transparent, honest reports on performance of what is in production, need to
continue in production, what is in process, and backlog. Concepts surrounding usage metrics, realized value, status,
performance, etc. come into play.

14. 14
Scaling Structure

15. 15
Scaling Structure – One CoE

16. 16
Scaling Structure – Hub and Spoke

17. 17
Scaling Structure – Decentralized

18. 18

19. 19
Solving Common Challenges in Fostering a
Steady State and Scaling
Expectations
High client satisfaction is always a goal of an implementation. One of the best ways to ensure your client is satisfied is by
setting expectations early on about what deliverables the client should expect and when they will be delivered. If client
expectations differ from what the implementation team is set to deliver, the client is likely to be unsatisfied at the end of the
engagement.
Scope creep
A common concern in any software development project is scope, or what you formally agree to deliver as part of an
engagement. In any project, scope is determined early and should be reiterated often to keep everyone on the same page
about what is being built.
Unorganized User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
Unorganized UAT can happen if UAT tasks and responsibilities haven’t been clearly explained beforehand about who is responsible for
various steps.
Access delays
Development, testing, and production execution is dependent on having access to systems. Any ambiguity or missed application can
halt those phases completely and impact expected timelines. It’s crucial to identify what access is needed early in the engagement so
you can request it for the relevant team members.
Customer availability
The unavailability of the customer’s process Subject Matter Expert (SME) or process owner is a common challenge encountered in
projects and is the cause for significant project delays.