Citizen Development and Champion programs have proven to be effective solutions to the shortage of automation talent in recent years. However, the ease with which non-technical workforces can create workflow apps comes with inherent risks, and strong governance is crucial to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks. Nevertheless, if set up properly, Citizen Development and Champion programs can significantly reduce a wide array of automation workforce pain points.

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

• The importance of governance and CoE involvement, and determining who should take ownership of the programs
• Avoiding pitfalls such as inefficient workflows, process logic errors, poor design, redundancy, and insufficient business impact
• Identifying and upskilling workforces to become Citizen Developers and automation Champions – and how to effectively develop and manage said programs

IA Maturity Level: All & Various

Lines of Business Functional Focus: HR, Operations & Business-Wide

Change often triggers apprehension, as the unknown can be unsettling for most individuals. Similarly, when introducing automation to employees' daily work lives, the fear of change can arise, stemming from concerns about altered job roles, processes, uncertainties about adapting to new technologies, and of course the biggest fear, and that is, automation taking over people’s jobs and their ability to earn an income – all which are very valid concerns. That said, cultivating a work culture and change management initiatives that empowers employees to embrace automation must be a top priority for all automation programs, so to increase automation program roll out success.

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

• Leadership’s role in shaping a culture that embraces change and innovation, fostering an environment ripe for IA integration
• Strategies to encourage collaboration and cross-functional teamwork, enhancing automation adoption and solution ideation
• Training and upskilling programs that increase automation adoption, UX, and usage
• Developing a work culture that celebrates innovation and experimentation encourages the exploration of new automation applications and solutions

IA Maturity Level: All & Various

Lines of Business Functional Focus: HR & Business-Wide