If 2020 taught businesses anything, it’s that being able to turn on a dime and change everything about how you operate isn’t a “nice to have” – it’s a must. The demand for low-code technologies and automation was already climbing, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need to re-orchestrate broken processes and reduce manual tasks. In fact, a recent study by IDC predicts: “…that by 2022, 45% of repetitive work tasks in large enterprises will be automated and/or augmented by using “digital coworkers” (powered by AI, robotics, and IPA), furthering human-machine collaboration.” To help you au ..read more

Whether or not you know it, your organization is at a tipping point. On one side, siloed and inefficient business processes represent the status quo, and on the other, your organization needs to leave this status quo back where it belongs–in 2020–and rethink and reshape your business. Digital transformation is the Emerald City we’ve been marching towards for years, but the yellow brick road has been far more perilous than expected. In an IDC Digital Executive Sentiment Survey*, only 26% of organizations said they were getting ROI from their investments, and only 18% have progressed in their ab ..read more

Automation was already well on its way to becoming a ubiquitous investment in 2020, then the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated interest and adoption. Organizations started deploying Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Intelligent Document Processing (IDP), and other automation capabilities en masse, which interacted with mission-critical systems, legacy applications, and workers in both the front and back office.  Selecting the right RPA tool or AI service is critical to enabling your workforce. Yet organizations should give equal consideration to how they manage and orchestrate these automated ..read more

Recently my son asked for a new video game. I get this request fairly often, so I decided to test how badly he really wanted it. I asked for a brief write-up explaining why he wanted to buy it. Because he’s used to my strange requests and adding absurd obstacles to simple processes, he agreed. After less than an hour, I received a decently crafted document for my immediate review. But to further test his commitment, I added comments where I wanted to see more detail.  He dutifully revised the document. Next I requested price estimates, checking against Best-in-Class Vehicles (Target), and ..read more

Automation Quickly Reduces Low-Value Procurement Tasks Acquisition staff tend to be shorthanded and face retention issues, time pressures and administrative requirements that are frequently overwhelming, making them ideal candidates for tools that reduce administrative burden.  In federal procurement, at least 30 percent of a Contract Officer’s time is spent on data entry, matching purchase orders with invoices, and other administrative tasks that put a drag on their valuable time and skills.  Automation can enable procurement staff to spend more time on critical tasks, such as clear ..read more

As the economy grinds to a halt amid COVID lockdowns and massive job loss, experts are urging businesses to get more aggressive about preparing for transition to a more automated economy. “… Simply put, you need a foundation for rapid process automation now. If your organization is already using a low-code, DPA, or CWM platform, apply it aggressively to automate processes that aren’t functioning. If you lack a platform, go get one…You don’t have time for a normal product-vetting process.” So says research firm Forrester. Before the pandemic subsides, news reports say the U.S. economy could shr ..read more

Clay Richardson, Co-Founder Digital FastForward As the economy grinds to a halt and competition for customers heats up amid the coronavirus lockdown, experts say it’s time to get more aggressive about process automation. Turns out low-code automation is the fastest way to do that. “It’s a simple way to bring robotic automation in to help clients,” says digital transformation expert Clay Richardson. “People tend to think of  RPA (robotic process automation) as a complex implementation. But low code simplifies the automation process. Which frees developers, back office and front-end workers ..read more

Clay Richardson, Co-Founder, DigitalFastForward First published in 2017, this conversation with digital transformation expert Clay Richardson zooms in on the convergence of BPM, RPA, and low-code automation and how it helps companies in the battle for digital transformation. Richardson, Co-Founder of Digital FastForward, a firm that delivers consulting on design thinking, digital innovation, and lean startup strategies says that automation isn’t just about process anymore. It’s about freeing up workers to focus on high-value tasks, he says. Automation, says Richardson, has become mor ..read more

New Appian app enables lenders to keep up with surge in PPP loan demand. It’s true that the government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) put lending on hold after burning through $300 billion in emergency relief funding in just two weeks. But with stay-at-home orders putting thousands of small businesses in lockdown limbo, Congress and the administration recently replenished the PPP with $320 billion in additional funds to keep small companies afloat and workers on the payroll amid the pandemic. Adding to the economic anxiety, with the first round of aid, banks and credit unions were plagued ..read more

Many of you are new to RPA, but some are actively investing in RPA already. If you are deploying RPA already, are you running into roadblocks? If so, you’re not alone. Those roadblocks are probably a sign that you’re ready to expand the scope of automation. Here are three signs to look for, along with actions you can take to get more value from automation. You want to drive greater enterprise automation but continually run into tasks that are not a good fit for RPA alone. This is a clear sign RPA may not be enough to deliver on your automation goals. RPA is great for automating high-volum ..read more