A new study suggests that implementing robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligence automation will go much more smoothly for companies that have invested in Lean Six Sigma and process improvement.

The 2019 Kofax Intelligence Automation Benchmark Study bases its findings on the responses of business executives from around the world. The study looked at how businesses are using automation to transform their businesses and the barriers to putting these systems into place.

The findings of the study mirror the statements from Lean Six Sigma subject matter expert and author Tina Agustiady, an adjunct faculty member at Villanova University.

“We are automating more and more, but we need Lean Six Sigma to help us do it accurately and efficiently,” Agustiady said in an interview with Six Sigma Daily.

About the Study

The 2019 Kofax Intelligence Automation Benchmark Study, conducted in partnership with Forbes Insights, involved a survey of 302 senior executives in 16 countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

Those interviewed held senior positions at companies that have annual revenue exceeding $1 billion. The focus was on Robotic Process Automation and Intelligence Automation as the next stage for organizations that have improved business processes and operations by investing in Lean Six Sigma-type initiatives.

The Importance of Process Improvement

As noted by Agustiady, having processes in place can help make implementing technology that much easier. The Forbes/Kofax study found the same to be true.

Executives surveyed said that automation is more likely to be used in the following areas:

  • Quality maintenance or improvement
  • Technology management
  • Financial transactions or reporting
  • Customer experience
  • Delivery of products or services

In all cases, the automation works best when applied to processes that have been optimized, according to the study. In a news release about the study, Chris Huff, Chief Strategy Officer at Kofax, said “many organizations have improved business processes and operations by investing in Lean Six Sigma-type initiatives to standardize, but stopped short of implementing automation to drive true enterprise value.”

The study is not alone in this finding. The Harvard Business Review, writing about the topic of robotic process automation, reported that “the companies we have seen achieve the greatest success in deploying RPA are those who combine it with the disciplines of process redesign and continuous improvement.”

Other Findings

The report also noted that consensus needs to be reached by executives on what processes would benefit most from automation, which, the report said, are processes that have been optimized through process improvement initiatives.

That presents another issue, however. Process improvement is not as widespread. About 52% of the executives said their processes were “somewhat detailed” when asked if their company processes followed “a detailed series of steps as opposed to an idealized, conceptual procedure.” Only 16% said they are “very detailed.”

When asked how consistently their processes are executed, about 56% said they are done consistently. The responses indicated that while many feel they have consistent processes, there is plenty of room for improvement in this area.

Lean Six Sigma continues to become more important to companies who are realizing the value of optimizing processes. The advantages of engaging in continuous process improvement extend to how it supports the use of business automation.