Process automation has been at the heart of nearly all enterprise digital transformation strategies. Most automation initiatives, though, focused on streamlining operations and reducing redundant or error-prone manual activities. They relied on interviews with stakeholders (users) and subject matter experts, using whiteboards or workflow
diagramming tools to capture the ‘as is’ design. Examination eventually yielded a supposedly improved ‘to be’
design. While impactful, such redesigns were potentially suboptimal because the improvements suggested were
often based on recollections, assumptions or anecdotes. In the era of the modern digital business, that approach is
dated and insufficient.
Among the top transformation priorities of leading digital businesses today is the need to intelligently improve,
transform and automate business processes and workforce activities. Their automation initiatives now bring to
bear evolving technologies that make better use of real-world execution data and AI technologies to make processes, designers and users smarter and more productive. Many organizations are now modernizing their IT infrastructure and preparing to accelerate process automation initiatives across the enterprise and their lines of business.
To understand their efforts, we surveyed 566 business and IT professionals about their IT spending priorities. We
found that among the respondents, 47% said IT infrastructure automation is among their top IT spending priorities,
and 42% said business process automation.
Business Impact Brief
