Given the conflicting interests at stake in higher education institutions, a lack of strong leadership in your shared services initiative is almost sure to result in failure. However, the leadership skills needed vary according the stage or maturity of your SSC. Join this discussion to hear what leadership skills are required for the three main phases of your shared services initiative -- Project Stage, Go-live Stage, Grow-and-Sustain Stage, and why each requires a tailored approach. Leave this session with a better understanding of why the different challenges of each phase require a tailored approach that will determine the success of your shared services project.

Over the last 2 years the University of Michigan Shared Services Center (U-M SSC) has been engaged in evaluating RPA (Robotic Process Automation) as a potential automation tool to free up our staff from rules-based, high-volume transactions in order to provide more services and hands-on problem solving for our customers . In late 2018 we decided to launch a project to bring this tool to fruition for the U-M SSC and are now engaged in that implementation.

This session will share lessons learned during the selection and implementation process:

∙∙ Considerations in the Software Selection Process

∙∙ The relationship between the U-M SSC and U-M Central IT

∙∙ Staffing for an RPA Center of Excellence

∙∙ Unexpected costs and roadblocks

And maybe we will introduce you to our first robot!