How to Make a Timeline for Automation with Milestones (Back to Basics Part 5)

This is the fifth article in our Back to Basics of Automation. In this article, we outline the fifth step in building a business case for automation, about how to make a timeline for automation projects with relevant milestones. Successful implementation relies on good planning and execution.

Steps for Creating a Timeline
Useful Resources You Should Check Out

Having a well defined plan for an automation project with milestones, and keeping track of their achievement will help you with successful implementation of the automation project. In this article, the fifth in our series on Back to Basics of Automation, we will explore the best practice on making timelines and monitoring them through to project completion and beyond.

Steps for Creating a Timeline

Creating a timeline for your automation project with relevant milestones involves breaking down the entire project into phases, setting clear goals for each stage and defining the measurable outcomes expected at each stage.

Here’s how you can approach setting timelines, with examples of milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs):

1. Process Selection

Milestone: Identify the process to automate

Let us say you choose Invoice Processing as an automation project. You wanted to focus your efforts on a high-impact, repetitive process that will offer an easily measurable return on investment (ROI).
KPIs: Time spent per task; Process volume; error rate baseline established.
Read Back to Basics Part 2 for more info on Exploring and Prioritising Automation Opportunities.

2. Define Objectives and Scope of Automation Project

Milestone: Project kickoff

Project kickoff is your milestone, but before launching the automation project, it is necessary to complete scope definition and draw up the project charter.
For example, you may want to automate a project to reduce manual effort expended by 30%. This means identifying the specific workflows or tasks to be automated and the goals you wish to achieve through the automation.
Defining measurable outcomes at each stage is a complex task that must be performed thoroughly and carefully. Read: How to Apply Metrics to Automation Projects (Back to Basics Part 3).
Kickoff per se, may or may not be an official event. You can also get started without much fanfare. But following change management best practice may require a small kick off event with CEO and top leadership. Such involvement sends a signal that this project is taken seriously. In the remarks, the CEO or project leader can explain (again) the goals and expected outcomes, to reinforce messages previously conveyed to staff across all affected functions.
Check out Back to Basics of Automation Part 4: How to Effectively Deal with Risks & Challenges in Automation Projects. It discusses change management best practice in detail.

3. Assess Current Processes and Gather Requirements
- Example: You wish to document the steps of Customer Support Ticket Assignment to automate the process.
- KPIs: Process map is completed; inefficiencies identified (such as the % of manual service ticket reassignments).
- Before the real automation work begins, you will need to analyse and document workflows to ensure no steps are overlooked. This step sets the stage for automation. At the end of this step, you will have clarity on inefficiencies and a clear blueprint for automation. Then you are ready to look for suitable automation tools and solutions.
- To complete this milestone, it is necessary to set a date for completing documentation of existing processes and identifying areas for improvement.
- This cannot be generalised as it depends on your company size, type of automation and how long your team say they need to finalise these tasks.
- What is important is to get a realistic time estimate for completing these tasks with a bit of buffer built in, for unexpected delays.
- Don’t forget the cost budget.
4. Finalise System Requirements, Select Automation Tools & Plan Implementation
- Example: Select a robotic process automation (RPA) tool for Data Entry in HR Systems.
- KPIs: System requirements finalised, Tool chosen after vendor selection and budget approved.
- Before completion of these milestones you will need to finalise technical requirements, choose the automation platform, and put together a detailed implementation plan.
- Choosing an automation solution will take time. You will need to call for proposals, consider the technologies of respondents, and arrive at an internal agreement on technical and financial feasibility that you are choosing the optimal automation solution.
- It is also necessary to conduct due diligence on the vendor and their products and service support for during and post automation.
- Completion of this stage is when you sign contracts with selected vendors and finalise resource allocation for the project.
5. Development and Configuration
- Example: Develop a bot for Purchase Order Generation.
- KPIs: Automation script completion, 95% accuracy in Purchase Order Generation during preliminary testing.
- Many tasks are involved in meeting each of the above milestones. You may even consider whether it is necessary to break this into separate stages with detailed milestones for better control over the process.
- You begin by configuring the automation solution.
- Then it must be integrated with existing company systems.
6. Pilot Testing and Feedback
- Example: Run a pilot for the automation of Inventory Replenishment Alerts.
- KPIs: At least 90% success rate in task execution during pilot, a less than 5% error rate.
- It is necessary to perform rigorous testing of the automation in a controlled environment.
- During pilot testing, it is necessary to begin tracking KPIs, gathering feedback from parties who are impacted. This could be employees, and where it is customer facing, from customers. Where it affects other parties, such as suppliers, you need their feedback also to refine the system.
- Implementing optimisations and refining processes for better efficiency, and scalability are also part of the initial reviews. Feedback gathered can inform the refining process.
- During this stage, there will be tests performed to verify automation functionality and to fix issues. These need to be attended to before the full-scale deployment.
7. Team Training and Deployment
8. Monitor Automated System and Optimise Performance
- Example: Monitor the automation of Email Marketing Campaign Scheduling.
- KPIs: 30% (or desired other) reduction in time spent; 20% (or desired other) increase in task completion rate; an ongoing error rate of less than 1%.
- In this stage, you evaluate and optimise the automation process post-deployment to ensure that it meets goals and is capable of adapting to changing needs.
- Performance review must ensure the automation meets the objectives and reaches the desired outcomes defined as KPIs.
Useful Resources You Should Check Out
Read the previous articles in the Back to Basics of Automation series: