The key to a successful implementation of any new technology is having the right people aligned with the right roles. Collaboration and communication between different roles ensure a smooth-sailing operation. At a high level, business and IT stakeholders are two important aspects. This article will discuss in detail each stakeholder involved in an RPA project. 

I. Business side

1. Subject-matter expert (SME)

As the name suggests, SME employees are the people with expert knowledge on the process that is being automated. They know the process in-and-out, give feedback to the team on each step of the process, and make sure if these steps are being captured correctly when automated. They could be in charge of designing or consolidating different tasks in the process. SMEs are also very important when it comes to testing the interface. With the knowledge, they can give feedback to ensure an effective transition.

Source: Freepik

2. Team lead 

Team leads are people who manage SMEs. Team leads have the authority to sign-off on the process that is being automated. They can also provide expertise on the project by helping to collect metrics and ensure business meets are met.

Source: Freepik

3. Project manager

Every project needs a manager. This person is essential in implementing a timeline and facilitating communication between different roles in the project. They also address problems as they arise to ensure the project is running smoothly.

Source: Freepik

II. IT side

1. Infrastructure support

The support staffs are responsible for maintaining the servers and setting up other developers’ operations for RPA deployment. They are also critical in maintaining these environments when the bots are running.

Source: Freepik

2. Information security

Information security personnel are essential to the project as they ensure all the steps and information are aligned with the security protocol. The information security team can minimize the risk of exposing sensitive data as RPA interacts with multiple user accounts. 

Source: Freepik

3. Internal Center of Excellence or external service provider

Once the application is live, maintaining the service is critical. This could be done in-house through an internal Center of Excellence or outsourced by the service provider. Integrating  them in the early process can help the hands-off process more effortless.

The roles mentioned above are critical in all RPA projects. Moreover, involving project sponsors and executives is crucial to keep the communication at a higher level. At the end of the day, all roles should have a clear understanding of the project and RPA in general to establish processes and control cost.

References:

• What are the the Roles & Responsibilities of RPA Teams? – Joe Labbe
• Who are these 6 key stakeholders of an RPA project? – Karthik K
• LinkedIn Learning: Introducing Robotic Process Automation