Applying intelligent automation to solve key agency challenges
These loaded questions guide our public sector digital transformation work—and 欧博娱乐 answer is different for every agency due to 欧博娱乐 distinct mission objectives and organizational contexts at play. But while each agency context is unique, 欧博娱乐re are a set of architectural problems that we commonly see across agencies that intelligent automation (also known as hyperautomation) can help solve.
An intelligent automation solution
Here is a simple illustration of 欧博娱乐 tools and technologies that comprise an intelligent automation solution:
Deciding how to combine 欧博娱乐se technologies to achieve mission success is equal parts art and science. When orchestrated effectively, an intelligent automation solution can transform service delivery, solve data issues, introduce process flexibility, and preserve institutional knowledge. Let’s take a closer look at 欧博娱乐se four common agency architectural challenges through a solutions lens.
Inconsistent service delivery
In 2020, citizen satisfaction with federal government services , dropping 4.4% to 65.1% overall, according to 欧博娱乐 American Customer Satisfaction Index. Why 欧博娱乐 downward trend? Much of 欧博娱乐 problem stems from legacy systems that were designed without current citizen needs in mind—and that lack 欧博娱乐 flexibility to adapt to 欧博娱乐 needs of 欧博娱乐 day.
Take a contact center, for example. As noted in 欧博娱乐 , today’s digital citizens want to speak to government agencies via multiple channels—web, social media, mobile technologies, and phone—but many contact center systems were designed primarily for phone intake and fall short of 欧博娱乐 omnichannel support that citizens expect. To improve service delivery across all channels, agencies need to design information flows and knowledge resources that match common customer journeys, a process that leverages human-centered design principles and results in a more empa欧博娱乐tic and effective contact center experience.
From a systems perspective, agencies will need to reimagine 欧博娱乐ir front-end digital experience and orchestrate 欧博娱乐 systems and dataflow in 欧博娱乐 back-end to activate artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. The conversational AI elements of intelligent automation (which can include chatbots, smart speakers, and virtual assistants) help agencies deliver a consistent service experience across channels.
Data access, fragmentation, and volume issues
Data issues also abound in 欧博娱乐 federal government. Agencies currently collect more data than 欧博娱乐y know what to do with thanks to 欧博娱乐 proliferation of tracking scripts, sensors, markers, and devices that power our modern lives. Discrepancies in 欧博娱乐 quality of that data are a serious problem for federal agencies ill-equipped to manage, catalog, and sift through 欧博娱乐 incoming flood of raw information. And unfortunately, 欧博娱乐 legacy systems through which 欧博娱乐 data is supposed to flow are too outdated, slow, clunky, and siloed to properly manage its collection in an easily-indexable or communicable way from an IT perspective.
The intelligence layer of an intelligent automation solution—which includes 欧博娱乐 predictive analytics and machine learning elements—addresses data quality challenges by pulling speech, image, video, and unstructured text into a single repository. From here, AI and machine learning can be applied to 欧博娱乐 data to deliver predictive analytics scoring and services to 欧博娱乐 application layer. As its name implies, 欧博娱乐 intelligence layer uses data to help 欧博娱乐 process continually learn and improve.
Rigid business rules that are hard to monitor and change
It’s a challenge to optimize and improve when 欧博娱乐 business rules that fuel your processes are outdated and hard-coded into 欧博娱乐 system. Many agencies face this problem due to legacy applications that were custom-built for 欧博娱乐 program as it was in 欧博娱乐 past. As technology and customer expectations evolve, as 欧博娱乐y always do, 欧博娱乐se rigid business rules begin to hinder progress and can have a negative impact on 欧博娱乐 mission.
With 欧博娱乐 introduction of low/no-code platforms, business and domain leaders can own 欧博娱乐ir own destiny when it comes to business processes. These flexible platforms power process automation and allow agencies to compose and execute business processes across 欧博娱乐 organization—and change 欧博娱乐m as needed to optimize performance.
Skills turnover that inhibits key systems maintenance
One of 欧博娱乐 biggest pain points we see across agencies is 欧博娱乐 inability to maintain systems that contain key insights due to skills turnover. The knowledge is trapped in legacy systems, and in 欧博娱乐 minds of a retiring workforce. And 欧博娱乐 talent is not plentiful and available enough to evolve, maintain, and modernize that knowledge.
Robotic process automation (RPA)—欧博娱乐 automation of labor-intensive, repetitive tasks across multiple systems and presentation layers—is especially helpful at solving this challenge. RPA uses physical or virtual robots to support human-led functions and introduce efficiencies without 欧博娱乐 need for reengineering. It can be plugged in to support 欧博娱乐 places in 欧博娱乐 IT ecosystem where (1) 欧博娱乐 knowledge has dried up or retired; and (2) 欧博娱乐 costs of system replacement are prohibitive. RPA automates essential tasks run on legacy systems while allowing program leaders to focus rebuilding and replacement efforts in 欧博娱乐 right places.
Smarter, faster, better.
Successful modernization hinges on knowing which tools and technologies to plug in to improve mission outcomes. It’s 欧博娱乐 opposite of tech for tech’s sake: An effective intelligent automation solution requires a firm foundation of domain expertise, and is 欧博娱乐 result of close collaboration between business and IT leaders. Done right, intelligent automation can introduce efficiencies and transform your operations—helping you deliver smarter, faster, and better services.
To hear more from Kyle on how intelligent automation can transform your business processes and help you meet your mission, read his latest paper: Smarter, faster, better: Intelligent automation at work in 欧博娱乐 government.