Automation Sprint

Google pioneered the Design Sprint as a way to answer critical business questions through rapid design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. This replaced the outdated and slow waterfall approach.

We have brought it to automation. An automation sprint compresses months of back and forth into an intensive 4 week introduction to automation.

The goal is to deliver quick wins with a mix of process improvement, software automation and capabilities building.

Approach

‍Formulated assembles a dedicated team consisting of a Business Analyst and a Software Architect for an intensive four-week engagement.

The sprint works best when all parties have committed to a set amount of time in a single week to make decisions. Decision-makers will need to be in the room and ready to effect change.

Week 0: Access & Setup

The first week consists of getting setup with necessary access and introductions with key stakeholders. We will schedule meetings and work internally to understand the team’s function and role. Formulated will also work to gain access to the necessary IT infrastructure.
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Week 1: Process Evaluation & Architecture
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Formulated will meet with key stakeholders and perform process “ride alongs”. These meetings can take place over Zoom and will consist of the Formulated analyst taking notes and recording video of processes. Formulated will identify areas of process improvement or automation opportunities.

Week 2: Process Improvement & Automation Development

Formulated will take the identified high value process improvements and augment them with technology solutions. Given the short turnaround, these solutions will lean on existing infrastructure and tools as needed. The best candidates for solutions in this phase will be the lowest cost and highest value items to deliver.

Week 3: Capabilities Building

By this point, Formulated will have put in place process optimizations and some automation wins. Now, the team will work with the key stakeholders on how to identify future automation opportunities within the business unit. Formulated will hold live sessions on the following topics:
Automation Opportunity Identification

What types of processes are good candidates for automation and which are not? How to break processes into smaller parts that can be automated and how automation and technology can assist with human-centric processes.

Automation Development Process

Once a good candidate for automation has been identified, what do you do?  Formulated will introduce the Process Definition Document and how it can be used to build tech-enabled processes. 

Working with IT

Citizen Developers can be a difficult pill to swallow for any IT department. Formulated will tailor a governance model to work with. The primary goal will be to establish who “owns” and maintains automations and what is expected from that responsibility.

Want to get started with automation?

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About Formulated
We partner with companies to evaluate, build and manage their automation programs.

Dumb work is for robots, not humans.
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