Abstract

This chapter considers Automation, specifically Robotic Process Automation (RPA), as a tactical solution for Higher Education to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services. It introduces the idea of what ‘automation’ is and why universities may want to consider RPA as a service delivery option. It describes why institutions need to start viewing RPA (virtual workers) as another part of their service blueprints, providing enablement across user touchpoints and service interactions, and how service design approaches can and should be used across the RPA lifecycle. The second section focuses on the Automation Service at the University of Glasgow, providing an overview of the service including the automation strategy and automation journey using service design approaches. There is a reflection on some of the challenges to date. The chapter concludes with key learnings.