Greetings everybody!
Are you ready? This is going to be a fun and entertaining episode!
Today, we will talk about a topic connected to my childhood.
Please note that I am not a millennial.
Today, we will talk about the evolution of a crazy dream of a couple of science fiction writers and music bands, into reality, aka Robots.
Robot Dreams
Jules Verne, a science fiction writer, published a master novel called “From Earth to the Moon: A Direct Route in 97 Hours, 20 minutes” back in 1865.
Immediately thousands of science fiction lovers were introduced to space exploration, and they became hooked on imagining a world different from their own, augmented by scientific discovery and innovation.
Over the next hundred years, many authors explored the idea of space travel, especially the use of mechanical devices capable of working with no oxygen in these space epics.
A few decades later, modern science fiction novels adopted robots as critical components for typical space activities, such as space mining, navigation, and companionship (think R2-D2).
Unintentionally, these sci-fi stories defined our understanding and expectation of robotics. They laid the foundation of our knowledge of robots: a physical machine with intelligence and autonomy that sometimes needs to make decisions based on ethics.
OK, Jose, I beg to differ; all the material I read shows that a robot is Software; why are you saying they are a physical entity?
Is a robot a physical entity (a device) or a logical entity (Software)?
The classical and formal definition is that a Robot is a physical entity. The first modern appearance of the word “robot” was in 1920 in the play Rossum’s Universal Robots, written by Karel Čapek, a Science Fiction writer.
So, why is it that currently, a good number of professionals refer to everything related to automation as a Robot?
They probably need the audience to connect with the topic they want to discuss.
Please note that this is not an English class or a Philosophy class; it is a business forum, so I think there are subsets of vocabulary to refer to these other related topics:
- RPA: Robotic Process Automation
- BOT: Software, Algorithm capable of interacting with other entities (computer or human) and providing quality information to address specific needs based on a use-case.
- Robots: A physical entity capable of performing physical tasks with a certain level of automation.
- Humanoid: A Robot with a Human appearance, sometimes with additional features (voice recognition, AI, ML, Analytics) which may allow the device to perform with a high level of autonomy.
OK, Jose, but what does this have to do with Digital Transformation?
Robots and Digital Transformation
We already know that Digital Transformation is about learning and responding to customers and customer expectations in real-time.
One of the most common mistakes a Business Process Engineer makes is to try to save a piece of a process that has no value just because they need to maintain the status quo.
Suppose we are open-minded enough to look for opportunities for improvement. In that case, we will find good places where technology like this will provide a better user experience or capture critical information.
At the core, since robots are capable of intelligence, automatic learning, and decision making, they can be used to deliver results through continuous improvement.
So, are Robots real or just a Sci-fi dream?
Robotics is a work in process, but we are further along than in 1978 when Kraftwerk published a song called “We are the Robots” (URL in the notes section). Nonetheless, more progress needs to be made before the technology is ready.
Why are we not ready? What is missing?
The vision shared by Science Fiction writers was so ambitious that we are still covering some gaps.
The first robotic devices, which are now readily available, were capable of sorting and manipulating things (Unimates, 1960, Shakey,1969).
More advanced devices can also transport things using limbs and wings, identify obstacles, and chase moving bodies (Genghis, 1988, and Drones).
So, the issue is not technological but computational. The new frontier is to improve the quality of the response by selecting the proper use case and using suitable algorithms (AI and ML) to train the devices.
This is where we, business leaders, have a role.
OK, Jose, another question: It has been over 150 years since Jules Verne fathered modern science fiction; what changed that allowed us to begin seeing Robotics everywhere?
Why Robots are so prevalent now
The answer to this question is at the core of Digital Transformation. The secret sauce:
- New ways to build devices with sensors and actuators can create an augmented reality to analyze situations and respond correctly to them (IoT, IIoT).
- New engineering approach to building devices at a reasonable size and cost (Miniaturization, Moore’s Law).
- New capability to capture a vast amount of data from ubiquitous locations (Cloud).
- New programming languages allow formulating complex scenarios in cases the robot can use to learn and respond (Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence).
- Improved Security (cybersecurity).
- Intersection of Science Fiction and business via use-cases (Digital Transformation).
There are still some gaps to cover to match the original expectations of science fiction novelists. But we are getting closer every day.
Covering the Gaps so Robots can be adopted mainstream
There are a couple of considerations to address and solve to cover the gap.
1. Choosing the Right Use-case: Sometimes, a use-case is defined to resolve a flawed process. Let me give you an example:
A couple of weeks ago, I made a flight reservation that included a local segment between two secondary cities. I chose a premium price because there was a chance I would make travel changes or even cancel the trip.
Eventually, the flight was canceled, and the airline gave me the chance to cancel the whole reservation without penalties. Perfect!
The airline also stated that I would get my money back in 10 business days.
However, I didn’t see the refund when it was due, so I tried to contact the airline to get an update. Instead of speaking to an agent, I was connected to a Robot (a bot).
Sadly, because of the way the bot was programmed, it could not provide an answer not defined in its menu, and since my request was not pre-defined, the bot went into a loop, not giving me a choice to escalate the case and contact a Supervisor.
I ended the call tired, frustrated, and sad.
In this scenario, the assumption taken by the business leader to replace human intervention with bots was made too early in the learning cycle, as the bot algorithm was not created with all the possible scenarios in mind.
Beyond this, I think much of this risk can be contained by embracing a learning organization approach driven by continuous improvement and delivery.
An Application Quality Management strategy will allow a business to deliver as expected and ensure that all identified scenarios are tested to satisfaction.
– Ok, Jose, I got it, testing, testing, testing, right?
– Yeap!
2. Having a cost-effective solution: Sometimes, the use case we identified is an option, but solving it comes at a premium price.
Imagine you are in a pandemic, and there is a lockdown: the only way to go out for a couple of minutes is by taking your pet out for a walk.
Imagine that you call all pet shelters, and there is no pet available.
Would you buy a robotic pet to go out with your pet for a couple of minutes on the street daily?
Not really; it is not cost-effective.
This simple personal story also happens in business periodically.
These premium costs can be identified and reduced by having an Enterprise Architecture that includes several scenarios and trigger events so that we can provide targeted solutions to customers depending on the cost-effective use of available technology.
3. Being Customer-driven and not fashion-driven: Technology is an enabler, not an end goal. Many leaders have this deep-rooted belief, and I agree that it is the right approach.
Using technology to support the business is the right thing to do.
Business leaders should avoid the pressure to have the most incredible technology possible since it is a risky and expensive mistake without a clear understanding of scenarios and use-cases.
Imagine this, if your business processes are defective, what benefit will you get by having a superb Robotic Process Automation to automate them?
This may also explain the sad story I experienced buying an Airline ticket and canceling it later.
In that case, my experience should be turned into an excellent one by including an escalation step where I may talk with a supervisor.
Ok, Jose, sounds like you think Robots are a fad and not something worth exploring?
Nope, exactly the opposite.
Robots and the Future
Robots are here to stay; I can assure you that Robotic technology has reached a point well beyond the Technology Adoption Life Cycle Early adopter’s stage.
However, this doesn’t mean that all use cases are mature enough to be adopted cost-effectively.
All service and solution providers reinvent themselves daily to develop new ways to implement the technology to benefit the masses.
We can talk about these fascinating topics for hours based on your interests: Robots, Automation, bots, Humanoids, RPAs, and future trends, among others.
Your feedback is very welcome by letting me know if you want me to continue developing these topics (public or privately).
Good enough?
As I said before, my goal in writing these episodes is to share a thought on areas of improvement and risks ahead among business leaders.
I think it makes sense in this Newsletter to talk about business challenges and technology components of digital transformation.
Are you in agreement? Please let me know by sending your comments or direct messaging.
They are greatly appreciated!
Would you mind helping me with the following?
– What questions do you have for me? Feel free to add your questions and comments.
– Do you like this episode? Please click on Like. I need your feedback to validate if I am giving the correct value and find ways for continuous improvement.
– Are you interested in being informed on future episodes? Click on Subscribe
Cheers,
Notes:
(1) Kraftwerk: The Robots Live Version, 2010, from an original song published in 1978.
Lyrics:
We’re charging our battery
And now we’re full of energy
(chorus)
We are the robots
We are the robots
We’re functioning automatic
And we are dancing mechanic
(Translated from Russian)
We are your servant
We are your worker
We are programmed just to do
Anything you want us to
(smile!)