Clash of architectures: APIs meet the bot invasion

A debate over whether "feito é melhor que perfeito” – done is better than perfect – sits at the heart of competing approaches to process automation, explains Flavio Reis, CTO, Lojas Renner S.A. and former CIO for cloud and cybersecurity with a tier 1 global CSP.

Whether “it is better to do something good that gives results and arrives on time than trying to do something wonderful that will give even better results but doesn't arrive on time,” says Reis, is a central question CSPs often face. This question manifests itself in differing approaches to process automation – one based on an API-first model, the other based on robotic process automation (RPA), combined increasingly with artificial intelligence (AI) and sometimes called intelligent process automation (IPA).

The process automation debate

The conflict at the heart of this process automation debate is straightforward. Architects follow carefully defined principles and tend to pursue digital transformation with an API-first, systems and process alignment strategy that takes time. “I was an architect and led large architecture teams for several years,” says Reis, “I'm a big supporter of API's and really valuable standards like TM Forum Open APIs for the telecom sector.”

As a delivery-leader on API-first digital transformation programs, however, Reis says, “APIs are not always available in telco legacy, so I had to apply other methods, like RPA or IPA, to be able to digitalize and automate processes within the expected timeframes of weeks, not years,” Reis says. Reis says RPA technologies have helped him to deliver “a true transformation program” generating massive cost savings, better service for customers, and hundreds of thousands of work hours shifted to higher value activities, like customer support.

Because delivery managers may not be able to wait for APIs to become available as they face integration deadlines, they increasingly turn to bot-based solutions to get the job done quickly, if not according to the architect’s long term wishes. Whether these two disparate approaches can be made to coexist is becoming a key question for CSPs.

Making API-first and IPA work together

“In my opinion, the correct approach is a combination of both strategies,” says Reis. He explains that CSPs “need to have an API-ification strategy” based on API-first principles and TM Forum Open APIs to “drive all new projects, technology and application selection, and legacy modernization.”

At the same time, he says, it “doesn’t make sense to expect to have all your network and systems capabilities API-ified” in order to “automate some processes that can deliver benefits in the short term,” Reis says.

Having led a groupwide process automation program for 2 years at one of the world’s largest CSP group operators, Reis says three basic principles helped to drive success and balance a well-defined, API-first transformation strategy’s needs against day-to-day delivery:

Scale and governance

Despite the need for speed, meshing the bot-integration world with an API-first architecture still means following the latter’s scale and governance principles. “In some very specific situations, where we had large volumes, we had performance problems,” explains Reis, so “we accelerated the development of APIs to remake the integration.” In this instance, Reis says, RPA/IPA helped to drive API-ification, but at the point at which volumes exceeded its ability to scale.

Some operations architects have expressed concerns that change management also will be troublesome with bot integrations, but Reis disagrees. “It is a matter of governance,” he argues. “If you change an API, it will also impact your consumers, so you need governance,” he insists. API governance is a standard practice in a proper API-ification program and “with RPA it’s the same thing,” Reis says.

“I don't see any big difference [for RPA] if you implement proper governance” including configuration management and change management, Reis says. In the end, the integration debate reflects tension between the long- and short-term automation needs of the business. Whether a CSP can sustain its end-state architecture vision while also adapting to new tech, like RPA and IPA in this instance, will remain a key success factor as well as a source for ongoing debate. For more insight into this important integration debate, read our new report Process automation: an evolutionary approach to digital transformationtoday announces that David Pleasance, Senior Consulting Partner at Deloitte and current TM Forum Board Director, has been appointed as the organization’s new Chairman. David’s term as Chairman will begin after the standard two-year term of the Forum’s current Chairman, Michael Lawrey, ends in May 2016

“I would like to thank Michael Lawrey for his leadership during the past two years, and also congratulate him on his numerous accomplishments over his storied communications industry career,” said Peter Sany, President and CEO, TM Forum. “During Michael’s two-year term as Chairman, he was instrumental in increasing Board engagement, driving the restructuring of our Board governance model, implementing a new Board committee structure, and accelerating our cross-industry go-to-market strategy.”

“I am very pleased to be handing over the chairmanship to David as my two-year rotation comes to an end,” continues Michael Lawrey, Chairman, TM Forum. “David’s diverse industry and leadership experience will greatly benefit the Forum and our members, and I very much look forward to continuing to serve as a TM Forum Board director.”

As a TM Forum Board Director and current head of the Forum’s Strategy Committee, David has been an active contributor, thought leader and sponsor of the Forum. Working closely with the CEO and the senior leadership team, he has contributed to shaping the Forum’s vision and strategy. His vast personal network, exposure to Deloitte’s global consulting capabilities and involvement with other external boards gives him valuable perspectives that will continue to benefit the Forum’s overall future direction.

“It is with great pleasure that I welcome David Pleasance as the Forum’s new Chairman,” continues Peter Sany. “As traditional operators race to transform into true digital service providers, they are increasingly playing a key enablement role for other industries and sectors – including the public sector and city governments, insurance, healthcare, automotive and so on – to facilitate their digital transformation and take advantage of the numerous business opportunities that emerging, and converging, new digital ecosystems present. David’s leadership, vision and cross-industry experience align very well with Forum’s strategy to drive digital transformation and business growth for our members who are increasingly operating across multiple industries and ecosystems.”

“I am honored to be appointed as TM Forum’s new Chairman, and would like to thank Michael for his great service to the Forum,” said David Pleasance, future Chairman, TM Forum. “Companies across all industry verticals must adapt and transform to compete in the digital economy. The collaborative, member-driven programs provided by TM Forum, which result in rapid prototyping of new digital technologies and business models, are changing how companies of all shapes and sizes innovate and operate. The Forum is a truly remarkable organization, and as chairman, I’m excited to help shape our strategy and direction to deliver tremendous value to our expanding base of members.”

Chairman Biography

David Pleasance is a Senior Consulting Partner at Deloitte, where he oversees the client relationships of a number of the firm’s recognized global accounts. He has over thirty years of international experience working across a number of industries including energy, financial services, industrial and process manufacturing, life sciences, healthcare and biotechnology.

David has architected business strategies and led enterprise transformation programs for numerous corporate and private equity clients focused on strengthening competitive positioning through the creative application of IT and digital technology, leveraging core technologies into ancillary markets and accelerating business expansion. He is currently working with clients to implement game-changing strategies for competing in the rapidly changing digital world and developing digital ecosystems. David has successfully developed innovative joint venture arrangements for partnering with clients in the marketplace to accelerate revenue growth and enhance profitability. Additionally, he has applied creative commercial arrangements which tie professional remuneration to project and business performance outcomes thereby ensuring goal alignment with client management.

Prior to entering the consulting arena, David spent many years with Imperial Chemical Industries, where he held a variety of senior management positions in Canada, the U.S. and the London head office. In his last role at ICI, he was the CFO of the Chemicals and Polymers division based in the U.S.

A frequent and highly sought-after thought leader and speaker, David has Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Chemical Engineering (BASc) and an MBA, both from the University of Toronto, and he is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA - Canada). He also attended the Executive Management Program at Harvard Business School. David is a director on several external boards including TM Forum.