Closed-Loop Nodal Analysis for Enterprise Process Automation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Many enterprises rely on manual processes due to the lack of technology to automate and improve efficiency, leading to suboptimal productivity and inefficiencies in their operations.

Innovation Solution

An automation optimization engine (AOE) is developed to analyze enterprise processes, identify automatable tasks, and provide tailored recommendations to convert non-automatable processes into automatable ones by consolidating user activities, objective decision-making, repeatable actions, and digital data handling, using keystroke analysis and machine learning to create a roadmap for automation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual processes are used to operate enterprise tasks, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but productivity and efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenterprise process efficiencyVSAvoidautomation level
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of enterprise processes to identify automatable tasks before automation is implemented. The entitlement study and process analysis are conducted in advance to prepare a roadmap for automation, allowing the system to transition from manual to automated operations systematically without disrupting current productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors enterprise processes and provides feedback on automation opportunities. By analyzing process data and identifying tasks that can be automated, the system creates a feedback loop that progressively improves automation levels while maintaining productivity through iterative optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If automation technology is implemented to improve efficiency, then productivity increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess efficiencyVSAvoidautomation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments enterprise processes into discrete tasks and identifies which specific tasks are automatable. By breaking down complex processes into smaller units, the system can implement automation incrementally on individual tasks rather than overhauling entire process flows, thereby reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs a universal automation framework that can handle multiple types of tasks through a single platform. The entitlement study and analysis engine serve multiple functions including process mapping, task identification, and roadmap generation, reducing the need for separate specialized systems and lowering overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If comprehensive process analysis is performed to identify automatable tasks, then automation accuracy improves, but analysis time and resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetask identification accuracyVSAvoidanalysis time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial analysis by focusing on specific process areas or task types that offer the highest automation potential. Rather than analyzing every single task in an enterprise process comprehensively, the system identifies and prioritizes key automatable tasks, achieving sufficient accuracy for effective automation planning without excessive time investment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system conducts preliminary assessments to quickly identify obvious automation opportunities before performing detailed analysis. By screening processes at multiple levels of depth, the system achieves accurate task identification efficiently by allocating analysis resources strategically rather than uniformly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11366439B2Closed loop nodal analysis
Publication Date: 2022.06.21 ACCENTURE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LTD
  • US11366439B2 patent drawing
  • US11366439B2 patent drawing
  • US11366439B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An automation optimization engine is disclosed that provides a closed loop nodal analysis on a process performance tree. By analyzing an observed process and identifying automatable tasks from non-automatable tasks from the observed process, the automation optimization engine then applies machine learning techniques to generate a recommendation report identifying steps for implementing in the observed process to convert the non-automatable tasks into automatable tasks. Optimization is thus achieved to close the loop to further automate the observed process.