Operations & Process Improvement at IA Week 


SSON’s Intelligent Automation Week (IA Week) conference is your one-stop-shop for operations & process improvement content. We’ve compiled 3 days of the best speakers and sessions for you to share with other operations & process improvement professionals from the United States. Register today to join this growing community and find ways you can enhance overall business performance.



Why Attend?


Operations & Process Improvement has dynamically evolved in recent times, propelled by the integration of Intelligent Automation, a focal point at IA Week. IA Week focuses on key trends such as process automation, cost optimization, and overall business performance enhancement. Embracing a future where remote work continues to redefine traditional norms, the imperative to digitize processes becomes paramount, opening up limitless possibilities. With a flexible agenda catering to diverse needs, IA Week creates an invaluable space for learning, collaboration, and networking, generating a sense of anticipation for those seeking to explore the boundless opportunities in industry advancements and trends.


Key Topics and Themes


  • AI & ML Workflows
  • Digital Transformation Framework
  • Inventory Management Automation
  • Data-driven Decision Making
  • Process Mining Optimization
  • Time and Cost Savings
  • Talent Recruitment Automation
  • Document Management Improvements


Featured Sessions


Client Use Case: BPM (Business Process Management): To Drive Workflow Optimization & Process Excellence

Fireside Chat: Impactful Workflow Dashboards to Deliver Process Improvement & Efficiency

Masterclass B: Process Mining to Identify Process Handling and Operational Bottlenecks & Inefficiencies

In this session, we'll dive into a real-world use case that demonstrates how Business Process Management (BPM) optimized workflows and drove digital transformation into the enterprise, resulting in significant workflow optimization and enhanced process excellence. You will learn about the key components of BPM as a discipline, beyond just software tools, and discover specific functional areas and processes that could benefit from BPM.
In this client use case session, you will hear about:

  • Specific functional areas and processes that benefited from BPM – and could possibly do so for your organization as well
  • How to plan and launch a BPM roadmap and unlock the power of process excellence into your organization

Intelligent automation workflows with AI and ML built into them can offer increased visibility, flexibility, agility, value, and efficiency to processes that require an end-to-end approach. However, with the vast amount of data, which is often stored in varying software systems and platforms, determining which data to track and analyze, how much and how often, and which KPIs/metrics should be built into intelligent workflow dashboards isn’t a simple nor siloed exercise. In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

  • Effectively working with various lines of business to determine which workflow dashboards could provide the greatest process improvement outcomes and actionable business insights
  • Challenges and solutions associated with dashboards and ERP integration implementation
  • Workflow dashboards with robust data visualization and BI built into them – how to best data pull, digest, merge, and analyze the data

Process mining is a technique that utilizes data to visually reconstruct and analyze process workflows, revealing inefficiencies and potential opportunities for optimization. It can uncover process handling and operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies, which in turn can negatively impact data performance and productivity. By utilizing process mining, it can provide evidence-based perspectives on process enhancement, ensuring decisions about resource distribution are grounded in solid data. In this deep dive, collaboration masterclass, the speakers and attendees will discuss and work through the below matters:

  • Functional areas where process mining can provide the greatest impact – or perhaps not be utilized at this time
  • Technical, infrastructure, and workforce requirements
  • Obtaining stakeholder buy-in to invest in process mining – challenges and how to convey program value
  • Developing a process mining roadmap – objectives, timeline, and KPIs/metrics




All Operations & Process Improvement Sessions


  • Workshop A: Effective Automation & Functional Leaders Collaboration to Determine Which Processes Can Be Automated & Would Offer the Greatest Business Impact

With digital transformation being a high priority for most organizations, automating processes have come front and center for most functional leaders, so to increase process efficiency for a wide array of functional objectives and use cases. However, before any functional area process or processes can be automated, there are many steps that must be taken first and as a team collaboration between automation teams, the functional area in need of an automation roll-out, as well as many other parties, such as governance and oversight, IT, audit, and much more, so to ensure program feasibility prior to launch.

In this deep dive, collaboration workshop, the speakers and attendees will discuss and work through the below matters:

- Which areas of the business need to get involved, so to help identify which processes could, should, or should not be automated

- What needs to be identified, reviewed, and analyzed prior to an automation program roll-out, so to prepare for an automation PoC (proof of concept) and program launch

- How to best collaborate with functional area leaders to determine if a potential automation program meets the required technical, infrastructure, workforce, audit, governance, and other business requirements

How to determine which processes would provide the greatest business outcomes and ROI


  • Masterclass A: IDP (Intelligent Document Processing) to Streamline & Optimize Data Handling and Provide Valuable Business Insights

In today's digital-first business landscape, data is certainly a great asset, yet it’s also very challenging to work with and leverage. With so much unstructured and semi-structured documents flooding into organizations and their functional areas, via such document types as scanned images, PDFs, emails, and more, the necessity to interpret, categorize, catalog, and utilize said data can certainly be challenging. That’s where Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) can assist, as a powerful automation tool to capture, extract, and convert unstructured and semi-structured data into structured and usable data. By utilizing IDP, data can be processed more effectively and provide highly valuable business insights.

In this deep dive, collaboration masterclass, the speakers and attendees will discuss and work through the below matters:

- What exactly is IDP, how does it work, and what are the technical requirements
- Determining which functional areas and processes would be ideal candidates to utilize IDP
- Strategies to ensure data quality for data validation, verification, and ongoing optimization to get the most out of data utilizing IDP


  • Masterclass B: Process Mining to Identify Process Handling and Operational Bottlenecks & Inefficiencies

Process mining is a technique that utilizes data to visually reconstruct and analyze process workflows, revealing inefficiencies and potential opportunities for optimization. It can uncover process handling and operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies, which in turn can negatively impact data performance and productivity. By utilizing process mining, it can provide evidence-based perspectives on process enhancement, ensuring decisions about resource distribution are grounded in solid data.

In this deep dive, collaboration masterclass, the speakers and attendees will discuss and work through the below matters:

- Functional areas where process mining can provide the greatest impact – or perhaps not be utilized at this time

- Technical, infrastructure, and workforce requirements

- Obtaining stakeholder buy-in to invest in process mining – challenges and how to convey program value

- Developing a process mining roadmap – objectives, timeline, and KPIs/metrics


  • Masterclass C: Hyperautomation to Drive Enterprise-Wide Data Optimization & Provide Enhanced Business Outcomes

Hyperautomation is the integration of a wide array of IA technologies, such as AI, ML, RPA, NLP, Digital Twins, data analytics, and much more, which can rapidly automate and augment complex business processes. It can be utilized to enhance process efficiency, reduce errors, and achieve greater process optimization. It can also offer process analysis, task automation, assist with complex decision-making, enhance customer interactions and engagement, bridge disparate systems within an organization to facilitate seamless data flow and process integration, and much more.

In this deep dive, collaboration masterclass, the speakers and attendees will discuss and work through the below matters:

- Developing a clear vision of what your organization hopes to achieve with hyperautomation

- Hyperautomation capabilities and potential use cases

- Data governance, quality, and optimization

- Technical, infrastructure, and workforce requirements

- Potential challenges and solutions surrounding planning and implementing hyperautomation initiatives


  • Panel Discussion: Breaking Down Automation Silos - Strategies to Ensure Impactful Program Cross-Collaboration

Most organizations are in full throttle mode of planning or implementing a wide array of digital and business transformation initiatives, across the enterprise as well as on a silo functional level. In turn, most organizations have an increased number of stakeholders being touched in some way by automation programs, and/or….are actively working on them for their respective focus area within their organization.

With automation programs being equally driven and managed by a wide array of stakeholders and functional areas, such as from the C-Suite, senior-level technology executives, as well as from digital and business transformation, process improvement, operations, IT, automation, and most functional areas, and again, equally, there’s no wonder most executives working on automation programs feel there’s a profound underlying flaw in the automation program roll out system. As a by-product result, silo dynamics tend to sprout up, whereas breaking down said silos tend to get in the way of rolling out impactful automation programs in a smooth and effective manner.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Establishing clear expectations for how departments will work together, with respect to sharing data, collaborating on projects, resolving conflicts, and much more

Methods to establish a culture of effective cross-functional and varying team communication and collaboration

- Technology solutions that could offer a comprehensive view of diverse automation projects, pinpointing areas for cohesive collaboration


  • Fireside Chat: Impactful Workflow Dashboards to Deliver Process Improvement & Efficiency

Intelligent automation workflows with AI and ML built into them can offer increased visibility, flexibility, agility, value, and efficiency to processes that require an end-to-end approach. However, with the vast amount of data, which is often stored in varying software systems and platforms, determining which data to track and analyze, how much and how often, and which KPIs/metrics should be built into intelligent workflow dashboards isn’t a simple nor siloed exercise.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Effectively working with various lines of business to determine which workflow dashboards could provide the greatest process improvement outcomes and actionable business insights

- Challenges and solutions associated with dashboards and ERP integration implementation

- Workflow dashboards with robust data visualization and BI built into them – how to best data pull, digest, merge, and analyze the data


  • Fireside Chat: Mixing & Matching Various Operational Excellence Philosophies to Drive Automation Success

To achieve operational excellence, either across a functional area or as silo program team efforts within a functional area, determining the right process improvement philosophy for your organization’s various digital and business transformation initiatives can be challenging. Sometimes it might be best to mix and match multiple continuous improvement and transformational tools and philosophies, as doing so could be highly beneficial to the overall success of an automation program. In this session, we will explore proven approaches to selecting and integrating the right blend of transformational strategies to ensure operational excellence success and how they can be applied to a variety of automation program rollouts.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Lean, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, and Agile - core attributes, differences between each, and pros and cons of each methodology

- How to build a comprehensive framework for digital transformation that harnesses multiple process improvement philosophies

- Understanding core determining factors such as organizational culture, available resources and operating environment


  • Use Case: Automation to Drive Enhanced Operational Excellence Into Inventory Management

Inventory management falls under the operations department of organizations - and for a food manufacturing company, ensuring effective inventory management is mission critical. The functional process involves tracking the flow of raw materials, ingredients, and finished goods through the organization, ensuring that the right amount of inventory is on hand at the right time, and minimizing waste and costs. Traditional inventory management methods are often manual and labor-intensive, which can lead to errors and inefficiencies. However, in this session, you will learn how a leading food manufacturing company’s operations department utilized automation for their inventory management processes and how doing so improved their overall operational processes, as well as drove cost savings back into the organization.

In this use case session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- How they automated the entry of inventory data, such as product quantities, prices, and locations, which in turn freed up human resources to focus on other tasks, such as production and quality control

- Automated the processing of orders, such as generating picking lists and packing slips, which in turn improved their order processing accuracy and efficiency

- Utilized automation for restocking of inventory, such as generating reorder points and sending alerts when inventory levels are low, which in turn help them always have the right amount of inventory on hand at any given time

- Generate reports on inventory levels, trends, and costs, which enable them to make better decisions about their inventory management


  • Interactive Discussion Group (IDG): Embedding Data Analytics & Predictive Analytics Into Automation Programs to Provide Highly Valuable Insights Across the Enterprise

- Exploring a variety of data analytics and predictive analytics tools that could be compatible with x automation programs

- Potential additional business value data and predictive analytics could provide your automation programs – and also offer highly business insights to various functional areas within an organization

- Technology, infrastructure, and workforce requirements


  • Interactive Discussion Group (IDG): Optimizing Your Existing Automation Programs

- Identifying and assessing your existing automation program’s efficiency and value

- Reassessing automation program’s use cases – and the automation tools being utilized for said use cases

- Optimizing automation programs by layering generative AI, data analytics, or other automation tools into various automation frameworks


  • Interactive Discussion Group (IDG): Increasing Automation Interoperability & Connectivity

- Implementing automation interoperability and connectivity in phases, starting with the most critical systems

- Adopting open standards to help ensure different systems can communicate with each other properly

- Optimizing middleware usage


  • Client Use Case: Leveraging Process Mining to Improve Insurance Claims Process Handling & Customer Experience

In this session, we'll dive into a real-world use case that demonstrates how a leading insurance company utilized process mining to uncover process handling bottlenecks and various solutions they could employ to rectify said process inefficiencies. By doing so, they were able to analyze event logs and data to visualize claims processing workflows. This visual representation illuminated bottlenecks, redundancies, and areas for improvement.

In this client use case session, you will hear about:

- How they were able to leverage process mining insights to drive impactful enhancements within claims processing

- Streamlined operations translated to reduced operational costs and improved resource allocation

- Increased claims processing, which in turn led to happier customers, reinforcing brand loyalty, and operational efficiency

- Data governance, quality, optimization, and interoperability/connectivity


  • Panel Discussion: Measuring the Value & Roi of Digital Transformation & Automation Programs

Although automation use cases and program roll outs have increased over the years, many organizations, and their automation and functional area leaders still struggle to accurately measure the ROI of their digital transformation and automation initiatives. This is because every project is unique, with different objectives, technologies, resources, limitation, and budgets. Developing effective digital and automation project roadmaps, metrics, and KPIs to clearly demonstrate their business value isn’t easy, yet it is paramount, so to ensure continued stakeholder buy-in, support, and funding.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Developing customized metrics and KPIs to measure a variety of digital & business transformation and automation programs – so to determine the value and impact they offer the enterprise

- Applying various methods for determining automation program ROI, including cost savings, productivity gains, and much more

- Communicating effectively with stakeholders about the importance of customized ROI calculations


  • Client Use Case: Generative Ai to Unleash Powerful Internal Business Insights

In this session, we'll dive into a real-world use case that demonstrates how generative AI has been leveraged to enhance internal business insights and decision-making processes, playing a pivotal role in empowering internal teams to understand complex scenarios and unlock strategic solutions.

In this use case session, you will learn more about:

- How generative AI is assisting internal teams in making informed decisions by offering data-backed suggestions and potential courses of action

- Is assisting teams in tackling intricate challenges by generating alternative solutions and presenting scenario-based insights

- Providing real-time insights into business operations, enabling swift and adaptive decision-making


  • Technology C-Suite Panel Discussion: Aligning Your Digital Transformation Programs With the Technology C-Suites’ Strategic Vision

To ensure a competitive edge, most organizations are in full throttle mode of planning or implementing a wide array of digital and business transformation initiatives, as well as developing their long-term strategic initiatives, across the enterprise as well as on a functional level. In turn, technology C-Suites are under a lot of pressure to develop impactful technology and automation roadmaps, strategies, and performance measurements for their various teams, which are directly tied into the organization’s other functional C-Suite’s strategies and KPIs.

In response, technology C-Suites certainly have several well-established performance metrics in place for their teams, and top on their list are: 1) how many successful automation and digital transformation programs are rolled out annually, 2) the business impact an automation or digital transformation program provided to the enterprise – which again, are directly tied into the organization’s other functional C-Suite’s strategies and KPIs.

That said, not only do automation and digital transformation executives need to know what technology C-Suite’s have planned for the organization and what their top priorities are, yet functional leaders also need to know, as automation and digital transformation programs are led by them as well.

In this session, a variety of technology C-Suites will be asked the below questions:

- What are your core objectives with respect to utilizing intelligent automation and generative AI?

- What areas of the business should we use our technology budgets towards?

- Which functional processes should we focus our automation and digital transformation efforts?

- Which types of technologies are you heavily investing in, mid to long-term?


  • Client Use Case: BPM (Business Process Management): To Drive Workflow Optimization & Process Excellence

In this session, we'll dive into a real-world use case that demonstrates how Business Process Management (BPM) optimized workflows and drove digital transformation into the enterprise, resulting in significant workflow optimization and enhanced process excellence. You will learn about the key components of BPM as a discipline, beyond just software tools, and discover specific functional areas and processes that could benefit from BPM. In this client use case session, you will hear about:

- Specific functional areas and processes that benefited from BPM – and could possibly do so for your organization as well

- How to plan and launch a BPM roadmap and unlock the power of process excellence into your organization


  • Client Use Case: Transforming Hospital Patient Care & Delivery With RPA

In this session, we'll dive into a real-world use case that demonstrates how the integration of RPA into a hospital’s various IT systems dramatically improved patient care and delivery by optimizing administrative workflows, enabling medical staff to allocate more time to direct patient interactions, and much more. In turn, the adoption of RPA led to transformative outcomes that not only elevated patient care, but also greatly enhanced operational efficiency across the entire hospital operations. In this client use case session, you will hear about:

- How RPA bots were employed to streamline appointment scheduling, enabling patients to seamlessly book appointments based on real-time availability

- Automated reporting bots were programmed to generate comprehensive reports for medical staff, providing quick access to patient data, diagnosis history, and treatment plans

- Utilized to accurately input and update patient information into electronic health records (EHR) systems, minimizing discrepancies

- Minimized data entry errors, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of patient information


  • Roundtable Discussion: Key Concerns & Consideration of an Autonomous Enterprise

In this session, we will examine the key concerns and considerations all C-Suite and functional leaders within an organization must address if an autonomous enterprise is something their organization hopes to introduce to the enterprise, so to ensure a responsible and impactful journey towards autonomy, if that’s indeed their mid to long-term strategic vision.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Challenges associated with safeguarding sensitive data in an autonomous environment

- Navigating the intricate ethical dilemmas and regulatory frameworks that come into play as machines make autonomous decisions

- Examining the evolving role of humans in an autonomous setting, discussing collaboration, accountability, and decision-making dynamics

- Understanding the critical importance of change management in transitioning to an autonomous enterprise, ensuring smooth adoption and buy-in from stakeholders


  • Panel Discussion: Determining Which Processes to Automate & Would Offer the Greatest Business Impact

In today’s business landscape whereas digital and business transformation is paramount, determining the right processes to automate is critical, so to keep pace with transformation demands. To do so effectively, determining which automation programs to rollout involves meticulous collaboration between automation teams, functional leaders, IT, and many other functional areas. In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Identifying key stakeholders for successful automation decisions – and how to best work with various functional teams

- Preparing for an automation PoC and understanding its prerequisites

-Collaborating efficiently with functional leaders to align technical, workforce, and business needs


  • Fireside Chat: Citizen Development Programs to Reduce Process Handling Costs

Citizen Development programs have certainly bridged the automation talent shortage gap in recent years. Additionally, they have also offered many areas of the enterprise increased process efficiency, and in turn, reduced process handling times. That said, if you’ve been tasks to reduce your functional area’s processing costs, looking to low code/no code Citizen Development programs might be a good option, or at least worth looking into. In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Determining which functional areas could benefit from Citizen Development programs, so to offer cost savings

- Potential Citizen Development use cases

- Processes that are NOT good candidates for Citizen Development programs – due to matters relating to risk, audit, governance, and compliance

- Choosing the best fit low code/no code applications for a variety of Citizen Development programs

- Governance and CoE involvement


  • Use Case: Digital Twins to Enhance Process Accuracy & Speed

Digital twins are virtual representations of real-world processes, assets, or systems that leverage real-time data and simulations to provide insights, optimize performance, and facilitate predictive analytics for enhanced decision-making and innovation. In this session, we’ll dive into a real-world use case that demonstrates how the synergy between real-world processes and their digital replicas can propel operational excellence, optimize decision-making, and foster innovation. In this use case session, you will learn more about:

- Benefits of digital twins and their role in amplifying process accuracy and speed

- Continuous monitoring and analysis of live processes, providing real-time insights for rapid decision-making

- How data-driven simulations within digital twins facilitate predictive analytics, allowing organizations to anticipate process outcomes and proactively address issues

- Digital twins to identify vulnerabilities and risks in processes, allowing for timely intervention and risk mitigation strategies


  • Use Case: Strategies to Scale Up Successful Automation Initiatives

Attend this use case session on how to scale up successful automation programs, to learn what is required on a planning and implementation level – and what are some of the common roadblocks and how to overcome said challenges.

In this use case session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- How to duplicate successful IA programs, either for other functional areas, regions, or use cases

- Developing a roadmap for scaling up your organization's IA programs

- Managing and resolving unexpected technical and program roll-out hiccups


  • Automation to Drive Process Efficiency Into HR Operations

Automation is rapidly changing the way organizations operate, and HR is no exception. By automating tasks, HR departments can save time and money, improve efficiency, and reduce errors. There are many processes within HR automation can be applied, such as automating talent recruitment, managing employee’s career development, managing their benefits, processing payroll, and much more. Overall, automation can be a valuable tool for HR departments that are looking to save costs and improve efficiency.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Different ways automation can be utilized in HR

- Benefits of automating HR processes

- Challenges of implementing automation in HR – and potential solutions to said challenges

- Choosing the right automation solution for your HR operations


  • Automation to Drive Enhanced Accuracy & Speed Into Pharma Compliance Processing Operations

In the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry, whereas regulatory compliance is a very complex and time-consuming process, automation can speed up drug development and approval processes by improving compliance accuracy. By automating tasks that are typically done manually, such as data entry, document management, and risk assessment, human errors can be reduced. Automation can also help speed up getting a drug to market by improving compliance accuracy.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- How automation can be used to collect and analyze data from a variety of sources, such as manufacturing records, clinical trials, and sales data, which in turn can be used to identify potential compliance risks

- Improve document management, to manage documents such as quality assurance records, training materials, and marketing materials – to ensure documents are compliant with regulations and are easily accessible when needed

- Improve audit compliance activities, which in turn can help ensure compliance programs are effective and are meeting regulatory requirements


  • Panel Discussion: Optimizing Mature Automation Programs

Automation is a powerful tool that can be used to improve process handling efficiency, accuracy, and compliance. However, mature automation programs can become outdated or inefficient over time. That said, it’s important to regularly optimize existing automation programs, so to ensure they’re still meeting the needs of the business. There are several business practices and automation tools that can help an organization determine if their existing mature automation programs are performing at maximum capacity - and this session will explore how to take mature automation programs to the next level of optimization.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- How to identify and assess an automation program’s efficiency

- Analyzing and reassessing automation program’s use cases – and the automation tools being utilized for said use cases

- Data analytics tools to analyze data, so to identify tasks that might be repetitive, time-consuming, or error-prone

- Utilizing such technologies as IDP, process mining, machine learning, NLP to maximize automation usage and business results

- Optimizing automation programs by layering generative AI, data analytics, or other automation tools into various automation frameworks


  • Use Case: Providing “Good & Clean Data” Outcomes to Drive Optimized Data Quality & Usage – as Well as Enhanced Regulatory Compliance

If you didn’t already know, within the United States, pet food is among the most highly regulated of all food products, including human food. In turn, when a pet food manufacturer needs to process or tap into their data, the methods in which they processes said data must adhere to stringent federal and state regulations. With that in mind, learning how a leading pet food manufacturer was able to take their extensive amount of structured and unstructured data, all which is highly regulated, and turn it into what the automation field refers to as “good and clean data”, was quite an undertaking. However, by utilizing a variety of data management best practices, they were able provide “good and clean data” outcomes for their various automation teams. As a result, their “good and clean data” program helped them improve the accuracy of the company's data by 80%. It also led to other highly valuable business outcomes for the enterprise, such as increased productivity, reduced costs, improved supply chain operations, and most notably, it improved their regulations compliancy outcomes.

In this use case session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- How they utilized data quality management (DQM) tools to automate data profiling, cleansing, and validation tasks

- Cleansed the data to remove errors and inconsistencies

- Validated the data, which involved ongoing and rigorous testing of the data, for accuracy, completeness, and consistency

- Implemented robust data governance programs to establish policies and procedures for managing data quality

- Implemented a data monitoring system to track the quality of its data over time, which helped them produce “good and clean” data


  • Fireside Chat: Automation to Enhance Vendor Management Processes & Find Areas to Reduce Vendor Costs

Vendor management is the process of overseeing and managing the relationships between an organization and its vendors. It can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, but automation can help to save money and improve efficiency. There are several ways automation can be used to save money on vendor management. By doing so, organizations can free up resources to focus on other areas, such as strategic planning and innovation. Overall, automation can be a valuable tool for organizations that are looking to save money on vendor management.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Automating such processes as sourcing and onboarding new vendors, which can save time on research, negotiations, and much more

- Creating, negotiating, and managing contracts with vendors

- Automated vendor invoicing processes and paying vendors, which can reduce errors, improve efficiency, and improve cash flow

- Utilizing data analytics and visual dashboards to analyze vendor management processes, and in turn find areas for process improvement and potential discounts and savings


  • Use Case: IPA (Intelligent Process Automation) to Streamline & Enhance Mortgage Application Process Handling

In this session, we will learn how a leading bank utilized IPA to improve their mortgage application processes, which is a very complex process that requires reviewing a wide array of documents, verifying the information found in the documents are correct and accurate, and then assessing creditworthiness before a mortgage application can be approved.

In this use case session, you will hear about:

- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) were integrated with AI to scan, read, and digitize various documents submitted by applicants, such as pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements

- Rule-based automation were combined with AI, and the IPA system ensured each application adhered to current financial regulations, thereby mitigating compliance risks

- ML algorithms were trained on past data to predict if the mortgage applicant had a likelihood of loan defaulting


  • Use Case: Challenges & Solutions of Setting Up a Global Automation Center of Excellence

A global automation center of excellence (CoE) is a team of experts responsible for the planning, development, implementation, and maintenance of automation solutions across multiple locations and cultures. The CoE can play a critical role in helping organizations achieve their automation goals by providing a centralized approach to automation, sharing best practices, and driving adoption. Attend this use case session on how to set up a global automation CoE, on a planning and implementation level - and what the challenges were and how they solved said challenges.

In this use case session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Managing cultural differences, so to ensure the CoE is aligned with the overall culture of the organization

- Overcoming technical challenges, such as data security, data management, compliance, and scalability

- Automation and legacy system’s interoperability and connectivity

- Change management


  • Keynote Address: The Future of Digital Transformation From the Lens of a Futurist

Digital transformation initiatives are rapidly and dramatically changing the way organizations operate. In the not-too-distant future, these technologies will have a profound impact on organizations of all sizes and industries. Intelligent automation, most especially AI, generative AI, and autonomous enterprises will automate many tasks that are currently performed by humans. Big data and analytics will be used to make better decisions about everything from product development to customer service. Virtual reality and augmented reality will be used to create more immersive and engaging experiences for customers and employees. Cloud computing will make it easier for organizations to access the resources they need when they need it. And the list goes on and on. That said, how will technology advancements affect organizations, on an operational, technology, and most notably, workforce level. As technology continues to evolve, will it be a near and dear friend for corporations, yet for their workforces, a detrimental threat. In this session, we will explore these topics from the lens of a Futurist, so to hear their thoughts on how they believe digital transformation will impact organizations in the near future.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:
- How will advances in intelligent automation, generative AI, and autonomous enterprises affect organizations of all sizes, from enterprise to mid and small sized companies
- What will be the greatest challenges organizations will face in the coming years as advancements in technology continue to grow exponentially, whereas technology will directly effect all areas of an organization
- How can organizations prepare for the future that lays ahead, on an operational, technology, and workforce level
- As leaders driving digital transformation into leading corporations, actively shaping the future of work by the decisions you make now and in the near future, what role should you take to ensure your digital transformation programs are taking a responsible and ethical course, so to ensure socio-economic responsibility


  • Panel Discussion: Navigating the Path to an Autonomous Enterprise – Strategic Preparation & Insights

Although transitioning to an autonomous enterprise might not be a high priority for your organization at this time, it might be something worth exploring sooner versus later, as it just might become the future of enterprise operations. Additionally, if your organization is committed to cultivating a culture that embraces innovation and has big plans to drive digital and business transformation into the enterprise, then it might be time to get started in assessing if your organization is equipped with a strategic framework to assess readiness, set objectives, select appropriate technologies, and pave the way for an evolution toward a self-driving enterprise.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- Crafting a clear vision for your autonomous enterprise journey, aligning it with overarching business objectives and future aspirations

- Determining if your organization has the necessary technology infrastructure, workforce skill capacity, and work cultural appetite

- Technologies that have the capabilities to drive autonomy, from AI and machine learning to RPA, and learn how to select the proper technologies that align with strategy

- Understanding the pivotal role of data in an autonomous enterprise and how to establish robust data foundations and governance practices

- Developing strategies to engage employees and stakeholders in the transformation, fostering a culture of adaptability and continuous learning


  • Client Use Case: Hyperautomation to Improve Customer Service Operations & CX Delivery

In this session, we'll dive into a real-world use case of how hyperautomation assisted with customer service by enhancing customer expectations and their ever-evolving demands. By acting as an initial point of contact for customers — to receive, analyze, and sort queries for specific departments. When hyperautomation was implemented, the technology reduced customer service response times, proactively addressed their concerns, and in turn provided improved customer service and overall experience.

In this client use case session, you will hear about:
- How automating certain response mechanisms, like initial chatbot interactions and automated email responses, their customers were able to receive immediate answers to common questions or be routed to the appropriate service representative more effectively

- With chatbots and automated response systems, the business was able to offer 24/7 customer support
- Hyperautomation tools they employed to quickly analyze customer data to provide personalized product recommendations and solutions to problems based on a customer's history and preferences


  • Panel Discussion: Increasing Your # of Successful Automation Programs per Year

With digital and business transformation initiatives being a top priority for most organizations, many intelligent automation and functional business leaders are measured by the number of successful automation programs they roll out annually. That said, better understanding how to launch more successful automation programs and ensuring they are executed in the most effective manner is a paramount skill set.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

-Identify, managing, and mitigating common automation program rollout challenges – and potential solutions to address a wide array of automation program rollout hiccups

- Navigate a refined pathway from conceptualization to live implementation, ensuring each step maximizes success potential

- Ensuring stakeholder initial and continued program buy-in Effective IA program team collaboration strategies

- Developing and managing program KPIs/metrics – and how to effectively pivot when necessary


  • Roundtable Discussion: Sharing & Learning From Our Automation Program Roll Out Mistakes

Most everyone has heard of the quote, "The best lessons are often learned from our failures.” There’s no tangible proof of who first said the well-known quote. However, it is believed that perhaps Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, or another highly successful person in history may have coined the phrase. Considering the potential source, or multiple sources of the quote, I think it’s fair to say their words of wisdom still hold true in today’s modern world - and are great words to live by when it comes to learning from each other’s mistakes and how said mistakes can be avoided.

By sharing your automation mistakes with one another, it will help you and your industry peers better identify its program weaknesses and shed light on the areas that need to be improved upon. By doing so, it will help everyone avoid making x mistakes in the future and achieve their automation objectives more quickly.

In this session, topics of discussion will include, yet will not be limited to:

- What were your top 3 worse automation program rollout mistakes – and why do you think they were such horrible mistakes?

- What did you do in the past and won’t ever do again – and why?

- What did you do in the past that was quite good, yet it done differently, could have produced much better results?

- After accomplishing x automation success, what’s the most essential ingredient you would share from your successful automation “secret sauce” recipe?


      Speaker Spotlight







      Additional Resources


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      Top 5 Advances in Intelligent Automation to Watch

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