Learning by Trial and Error: The People Behind Processes and Automation
Using automation in IT processes requires a mix of hard tech expertise, organizational cultural development, and business-focused thinking. The goal is to create a culture that bubbles up with ideas, evolves step-by-step, and isn’t afraid of failure.
Effective leadership and creating an open mindset are the key to innovation. Samlink’s Head of Department Matti Pakkanen believes that an open organizational culture is at the heart of building better processes.
– There should be an atmosphere that encourages people to bring ideas to the table, to experiment, fail, and learn from mistakes. Not every idea will be implemented; some will be piloted, some will wait for a better time, and some will be shelved indefinitely. The most important thing is to harness people’s potential by creating an environment where both success and failure are accepted.
Pakkanen mentions the “MVP” and “Fail Fast” principles as ways to quickly pilot ideas. MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, means creating a version of a product with just enough features to be released. The idea is to test its viability as quickly and cheaply as possible to get feedback. “Fail Fast” is a strategy of rapid testing aimed at learning and avoiding unnecessary long-term costs.
– When development is done in a controlled manner, like progressive modernization, it can add value to both the company and its clients.
In developing processes with automation, it’s important to set short-term goals and steps. Big leaps into the far future are often not practical.
– Development doesn’t always have to be complex; small steps can be taken using existing models. There isn’t always a need to reinvent the wheel, Pakkanen emphasizes.
Signals as Launchpads for Ideas
In developing processes and utilizing automation signals come from various directions both inside and outside the organization. These sources can be roughly categorized into three groups:
- Slow or Inefficient Processes: When our experts and teams frequently encounter situations where current processes are inadequate or not valuable, it creates a clear signal for developing automation. Time-consuming manual tasks, managing large amounts of data, and repetitive corrections set the stage for development.
- Stakeholder Needs: Interactions with stakeholders like customers, suppliers, and partners highlight needs and opportunities for development. Feedback and expectations from stakeholders act as important signals.
- Advisory Services and Future Insights: Samlink’s Advisory Services provide valuable insights from the financial sector and forecasts of future trends and technologies, which can guide the development of automation.
Ideas arising from these signals are prioritized through leadership. If an idea is strong and justified from both operational and customer perspectives, it is added to the agenda.
– Process development often happens alongside day-to-day operations, and each development step needs appropriate resources. It’s crucial to understand customer needs and respond to them effectively while keeping the bigger picture in mind, says Pakkanen.