Transforming Software Products for Intelligent Automation Services

In recent academic and commercial literature, the extensive transformations of software products have been a focal topic. However, the discourse has insufficiently addressed the emergence and role of lowcode technologies, including robotic process automation (RPA). With the growing significance of RPA and low-code solutions, a salient transition has been observed from conventional On-Premise to Software-As-A-Service (SaaS) paradigms, signifying a critical juncture in its developmental trajectory. Our research, placed at the context of intelligent automation (IA) offerings, explored the product transformation practices conducted by ECIT Veny AS, a renowned Nordic provider of process automation services. In this context, our study discovered a novel observation: notwithstanding the rapid commoditization of RPA technology across diverse business infrastructures, there is a transition for automation service providers to shift their focus from mere technological prowess to holistically addressing client-centric challenges and demands. It has triggered the conceptualization and deployment of a novel product named Robot as a Service - Process Automation ('RaaS-P'), characterized by an innovative approach to service level agreement (SLA). This approach placed emphasis on facets such as system availability, operational stability, expedited recovery mechanisms, and transaction quality, all underpinned by the principles of simplicity and predictability.