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Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a term for software tools that operate on the user interface while trying to mimic a real user. Organizations are eager to adopt RPA, since the technology promises significant benefits such as cost savings. However, it is unclear how organizations should govern RPA. The burden of maintenance, in particular, can become high once an organization scales up its RPA efforts. To prevent or diminish high maintenance efforts, we propose in this paper 11 guidelines to establish low-maintenance RPA implementations. The guidelines are particularly applicable in those contexts where business units themselves oversee these implementations with a Center of Excellence in the background. The guidelines are derived from a literature study and four case studies; they are validated with experts using the Delphi method.

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Workarounds are intentional deviations from prescribed processes. They are most commonly studied in healthcare settings, where nurses are known for frequently deviating from the intended way of using health information systems. However, workarounds in healthcare have only been studied using qualitative methods, such as observations and interviews. We conduct a case study in a Dutch hospital and use a mixed-methods approach that draws not only on interviews and observations, but also on process mining, to detect and analyse eight workarounds that occur in a clinical care process. We contribute to theory by demonstrating that it is possible to use data to determine the occurrence of a rich variety of workarounds found using qualitative methods. Practically, this implies that workarounds that are identified qualitatively can be further analysed and monitored using quantitative methods. Once identified, workarounds also provide an attractive starting point for organisational learning and improvement.

Several studies have hinted how the study of workarounds can help organizations to improve business processes. Through a systematic literature review of 70 articles that discuss workarounds by information systems users, we aim to unlock this potential. Based on a synthesis of recommendations mentioned in the reviewed studies, we describe five key activities that help organizations to deal with workarounds. We contribute to the IS literature by (1) providing an overview of concrete recommendations for managing workarounds and (2) offering a background for positioning new research activities on the subject. Organizations can apply these tools directly to turn their knowledge on workarounds into organizational improvement.