Agentic AI: Overcoming Common Automation Implementation Challenges

It is the great paradox of our time: while the potential of automation to transform business is undeniable, the failure rate of automation projects remains stubbornly high. Too many organisations, in their rush to embrace the technology, fall into common, avoidable traps that derail their initiatives and prevent them from realising the full value of their investment. This article identifies the five most common automation implementation challenges and provides a practical framework for overcoming them, helping you to navigate the pitfalls and unlock the true potential of automation.

The Top 5 Automation Implementation Challenges

1. Lack of a Clear Strategy: The single biggest reason why automation projects fail is a lack of a clear strategy. Without clear goals, a roadmap for success, and a strong business case, automation initiatives are likely to drift, lose momentum, and ultimately fail to deliver a return on investment.
2. Poor Process Selection: Not all processes are created equal. Choosing the wrong processes to automate is a recipe for disaster. Common mistakes include trying to automate processes that are too complex, not standardised, or have a low ROI.
3. Inadequate Change Management: As we’ve discussed in a previous article, failing to address the people-side of automation is a surefire way to kill your project. Resistance from employees, a lack of buy-in from stakeholders, and poor communication can all create a toxic environment that is hostile to change.
4. Siloed Approach: When automation is implemented in isolated pockets, without a centralised strategy or governance, it leads to fragmentation, inconsistency, and a failure to scale. This “random acts of automation” approach is a common and costly mistake.
5. Technical Debt: In the rush to deliver quick wins, it’s all too easy to build brittle, poorly designed automation solutions that are difficult to maintain and scale. This technical debt can quickly become a major drag on your automation program, making it impossible to adapt to changing business needs.

A Framework for Success: How to Overcome the Challenges

The good news is that these challenges are all avoidable. By taking a more strategic and holistic approach to automation, you can dramatically increase your chances of success. Here’s a simple framework to guide you:

1. Start with Strategy: Before you write a single line of code, take the time to define your automation goals, create a roadmap, and build a strong business case. Your automation strategy should be closely aligned with your overall business strategy.
2. Choose Your Processes Wisely: Use a structured approach to identify and prioritise the best processes for automation. Look for processes that are repetitive, rule-based, and have a high potential for ROI.
3. Put People First: Implement a comprehensive change management program to engage your employees, build buy-in, and equip them with the skills they need to thrive in an automated workplace.
4. Establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE): Create a centralised team to provide governance, support, and expertise for your automation initiatives. A CoE is the key to scaling automation and avoiding the pitfalls of a siloed approach.
5. Design for Scale: Build robust, well-designed automation solutions that are easy to maintain, scale, and adapt to changing business needs. Avoid the temptation to take shortcuts that will create technical debt down the line.

The Role of IBM watsonx Orchestrate in De-Risking Your Automation Journey

IBM watsonx Orchestrate is a platform that is designed to help you avoid these common pitfalls. Its process mining and discovery capabilities help you to identify and prioritise the best processes for automation. Its low-code/no-code development environment makes it easy to build robust, scalable automation solutions. And its centralized governance and control features provide the foundation for a successful CoE.

Aligne’s Expertise: Your Partner in Automation Success

Navigating the challenges of automation implementation can be complex. Aligne can help. Our team of experts can provide the strategy, support, and expertise you need to ensure a successful automation journey. We offer:

• Automation Strategy and Roadmap Development: We’ll help you develop a clear and compelling strategy for automation.
• Process Discovery and Analysis: We’ll help you identify and prioritise the best processes for automation.
• Change Management and Organisational Readiness: We’ll help you manage the people-side of automation.
• Implementation of IBM watsonx Orchestrate: We’ll help you implement and configure watsonx Orchestrate to provide a robust and scalable platform for your automation initiatives.

Conclusion: From Pitfalls to Possibilities

The challenges of automation implementation are real, but they are not insurmountable. By taking a strategic, holistic, and people-centric approach, you can avoid the common pitfalls and unlock the full transformative potential of automation. The journey from ad hoc automation to a strategic enterprise capability is not easy, but with the right strategy, the right platform, and the right partner, it is a journey that is well worth taking.

Book an automation readiness assessment with Aligne.