LONDON & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blue Prism, the leading developer of enterprise Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software, today announced that the Outsourcing Unit at London School of Economics (LSE) has unveiled the fourth installment of its RPA research on the use and value of RPA. The report, titled “The IT Function and Robotic Process Automation,” debunks common misconceptions about RPA technology and the virtual workforce, and offers insight into how they can be effectively leveraged by IT to realize automation opportunities and maximize overall business value.
“The IT Function and Robotic Process Automation” paper follows three case studies conducted by LSE Professor of Technology Work and Globalization Leslie Willcocks, University of Missouri Curators’ Professor Mary Lacity (visiting professor at LSE) and Senior Visiting Research Fellow Andrew Craig. These studies share how Blue Prism customers in the telecom, business process services and energy industries have deployed and benefited from RPA technology.
Drawing on these case studies, the latest LSE report addresses common concerns and questions amongst IT professionals when it comes to RPA. These concerns involve confusion around the role of software robots; striking the right balance of time, resources and quality; and minimizing risks of “shadow” arrangements, such as loss of control over architecture, security and deployment.
Based on exchanges with early RPA adopters who have reported benefits related to process efficiency, accuracy, regulatory compliance, reliability, cost and improved customer satisfaction, LSE imparts tried and tested methods for navigating potential challenges, including:
- Establishing business RPA alignment
- Defining the organizational design and role of Head of RPA
- Forming an RPA governance board to manage demand pipeline and assess RPA opportunities
- Agreeing on RPA delivery methodology and the tracking of its correct use
“Our in-depth case work and interviews show misunderstanding about enterprise RPA’s attributes and how it fits within corporate IT architectures, infrastructures, skill sets, governance and security procedures,” said Leslie Willcocks. “It was important for us to clarify these points and highlight how IT can properly manage RPA to mitigate core challenges and optimize performance.”
Blue Prism CEO Alastair Bathgate added, “Enterprise strength RPA is still a maturing market. As with any young market, there is confusion around its use and value, so we are very pleased with the work the LSE Outsourcing Unit team is doing to educate enterprises – and specifically IT professionals – about the tremendous benefits of using RPA to create a virtual workforce. We hope that through this research, IT professionals will embrace the potential for the technology and follow the steps outlined by LSE to enhance performance and secure that competitive advantage.”
The full “IT Function” report can be found here along with the first three case studies.
About Blue Prism
Formed by process automation experts, with offices in London, Manchester, Miami and Chicago, Blue Prism has pioneered the development of the virtual workforce powered by enterprise Robotic Process Automation software for clerical and administrative automation. The company operates globally through its partners in financial services, energy, telecom, retail, BPO, government and healthcare sectors, and was named a Gartner “Cool Vendor” in 2013. More information is available at http://www.blueprism.com/ and on Twitter at @blue_prism.
