A Primer on Orchestration: Revolutionizing Enterprise Automation Operations

Fact: 64% of global CXOs consider Intelligent Automation as the top priority as part of their digital transformation programs.

Fact: Over 60% of the enterprises are leveraging three or more Automation vendors and 30% of the enterprises have deployed a staggering five or more Automation platforms.

Also fact: Multi-vendor environments have led to difficulty in providing comprehensive visibility across end-to-end business processes.

Zinnov’s most recent Automation CXO survey of 250 global CXOs revealed that, as enterprises mature in their Automation journeys, the complexity of the Automation tech stack and the overall scale also grows tremendously. Multi-vendor environments, that have limited visibility across end-to-end business processes, also have limited cross-utilization of resources, specifically around Automation operations.

Automation Orchestration

To address these challenges, leading enterprises with a mature Automation approach are increasingly embracing orchestration. This helps them effectively manage and integrate disparate Automation tools and technologies that run in unison with the existing enterprise apps and human workforce. We believe Orchestration is a technology that encompasses the centralized management of automated workflows and resources, by enabling seamless end-to-end automation across Automation platforms, human workforce, and enterprise application systems.

The core of orchestration revolves around establishing connectivity and seamless integrations with the following components:

1. Automation Platforms: Offers pre-production capabilities such as Automation pipeline generation through idea collation and discovery, business case creation, and progress tracking during the build phase. In the post-production phase, once the automated process is live, these tools enable monitoring, control of Automation platforms, real-time performance reporting, and even remediation in cases of breakage.
2. Enterprise Application Systems: Unifies multiple enterprise application systems, enabling smooth data and process flow. Data exchange synchronizes information sharing within an automation workflow, while monitoring and analysis functionalities drive continuous improvement.
3. Human Workforce: Combines human decision-making with automated workflows, through dynamic resource allocation to optimize productivity and efficiency, along with continuous monitoring and analysis that drive proactive improvements.

Enterprises across industries have effectively leveraged orchestration tools, yielding significant benefits for their business and employees. Embracing orchestration has led to increased productivity and efficiency, driving tangible outcomes in a competitive business environment.

Benefits of Automation Orchestration

Noteworthy benefits derived from orchestration include:

1. Streamlined Resource Deployment: With robust integration capabilities, these platforms seamlessly integrate with leading Automation platforms, allowing enterprises to leverage existing investments and expand their Automation ecosystem’s functionality. BN Bank, a leading financial institution in Norway, overcame the limitations of traditional RPA scheduling by implementing the C TWO platform. With this advanced solution, they effectively managed over 100 business processes, leading to a remarkable 84% improvement in response times by their digital workforce.
2. Real-time KPI Tracking: Orchestration platforms offer real-time monitoring and analysis of automated business processes, including the performance of both humans and digital platforms. This enables organizations to track task execution, resource utilization, and real-time benefits from Automation. For example, a global healthcare company that previously tracked projects using Excel and lacked a system to operate robots and track value, successfully addressed these challenges by leveraging the Turbotic platform. They gained real-time visibility of the value generated by their Automation projects, while also obtaining comprehensive oversight to effectively orchestrate and optimize solutions.
3. Enhanced Customer Experience: By offering comprehensive end-to-end visibility, orchestration platforms effectively mitigate the risk of SLA breaches resulting from missed ticket emails or other related issues. TMF Group, a multinational corporation specializing in accounting and corporate services, faced challenges in efficiently managing scattered work requests across various channels and optimizing their hybrid workforce. To address these issues, they implemented Enate, which seamlessly integrated with their existing RPA automation software, and provided complete visibility across all operations. As a result, their 4,500 users gained the ability to collaborate effectively through a unified platform, yielding a remarkable 22% increase in operational efficiency and a significant 33% improvement in client satisfaction.

In addition to these advantages, Orchestration platforms empower leaders with a strong governance framework, enabling strategic decision-making for business growth and cost optimization through real-time workstream analysis. There are a number of Automation platforms that facilitate orchestration, enabling smooth integrations across various vendors, Enterprise Application Systems, and the human workforce.

Zinnov Zones for Intelligent Automation Platforms – Orchestration

Zinnov Zones for Intelligent Automation (IA) Platforms (H1 2023) – Orchestration is the industry’s first, most comprehensive, and best-in-class assessment for Automation platforms aimed at gauging how equipped platforms are to cater to the rising demand for Orchestration by enterprises. We analyzed 15 global platforms and specialist vendors on their technical prowess and scalability parameters to identify the kingpins and visionaries.

Aligned with the dynamic shift in the domain and the perpetually progressing philosophy of orchestration, three platforms have emerged as pre-eminent frontrunners in the category – Turbotic, Enate, and CTWO. These platforms have exemplified immense dedication to building robust capabilities aligned to the management of top-tier Automation platforms, incorporating human interactions within the workflow, and providing comprehensive support for leading enterprise applications. Through an unwavering commitment to consistent product innovation, strategic investments to expand their market footprint, and fostering vibrant ecosystems around their platforms, they have empowered enterprise-wide deployment, facilitating seamless automation and propelling organizational success.

As organizations embark on their digital transformation journeys, the significance of streamlined processes and agile operations cannot be overstated. In this context, orchestration emerges as a critical element for integrating systems, harnessing digital assets, and driving innovation. Recognizing this immense potential, enterprises are ready to invest in orchestration as the next frontier of technology stack. At Zinnov, we are actively observing Service Providers and platforms as they build capabilities in this domain. Orchestration will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative around Automation, driving transformative outcomes for businesses.