More and more business and technology leaders recognize the advantages offered by automation and robotization. The latter is used not only in process-focused areas such as customer service, HR and BPM support, but also to facilitate integration between systems. If you are considering implementing such solutions in your company, you should first learn how software robots are created and why it is important to understand each stage of their development. Why is it worth understanding a bot’s lifecycle? The robot lifecycle and implementation quality
For
robotic process automation to deliver value and long-term benefits, it requires a precise, carefully prepared implementation plan. The plan should involve the
right specialists. Imitating human actions without third-party involvement is possible only after a series of specialized steps has been completed. In other words, an effective robotization implementation requires, among other things, a thorough understanding of the RPA lifecycle. This knowledge provides a holistic view of the roadmap and facilitates the systematic introduction of changes.
Does every RPA bot have the same lifecycle? What does the RPA lifecycle look like?
“RPA—the bot lifecycle,” “RPA—the robot lifecycle,” and “RPA—lifecycle management” are all frequently encountered headings that refer to the different stages of creating, modifying, implementing and maintaining automated software. They usually take the following form:
- Discovery phase
This is the first and a crucial phase of an RPA implementation. It combines artificial intelligence, specialist expertise and technology to select the right path toward process automation. It also determines how the project should be managed to ensure its success. At this stage, the client’s requirements take on greater importance and the final decision is made as to whether a particular process should be automated. If the decision is positive, RPA specialists conduct a detailed complexity analysis. On this basis, strategists and architects work with the business team to create a high-level implementation plan that takes account of the benefits of automation.
- Solution design phase
The next stage is to design the individual steps required to automate the task. Detailed documentation is prepared for the development team, giving RPA providers a particularly important role. A flowchart is then created to understand how the process works. This makes it possible to decide which stages require automation and what their needs are. Finally, developers select the RPA tools that will be used to build the bot.
- Development phase
This phase involves creating automation scripts in the selected tools, such as UiPath or Blue Prism. As a rule, it does not require coding, although this depends on the task being addressed. Developers nevertheless always rely on the documentation prepared earlier.
- User acceptance testing
After development, the bot is tested in a pre-production environment. Testing is performed by internal teams or outsourced to companies that specialize in this type of service. If the tests are successful, the bots proceed to the next stage. Otherwise, they return to development. Developers then analyze and correct the defects that caused the failure, after which testing is repeated.
- Deployment
Once programming and testing have been completed, the bots are deployed to the production environment. At this stage, they are ready for clients to use. Some problems may nevertheless recur. If they do, the bots return to the development and testing stages.
- Launch
This is a key phase of the RPA lifecycle, intended to produce the best possible results for the development team. The bots also enter a verification mode to ensure that the implementation has been completed in line with the client’s requirements.
- Support & Maintenance
This is the final phase of the bot lifecycle, during which the bot becomes publicly available. At this stage, the development team provides support to the client if a defect is identified in the application. The best market offerings provide an almost immediate response. Do you have questions or concerns? We would like to
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