Misunderstandings often arise when applying process mining. What are the possible objections and how can it be used effectively? We reveal the top 6 process mining misconceptions.
What to Expect Here – An Overview
2. Misconception #1: Size does (not) matter?!
3. Misconception #2: Quick steps toward process optimization
4. Misconception #3: "Process mining replaces human expertise."
5. Misconception #4: "Process mining is only suitable for process optimization."
6. Misconception #5: Process mining only works with standardized processes
7. Misconception #6: Process mining exposes inefficient employees
8. Summary: Moving away from gut feelings toward fact-based decisions
What is process mining?
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#1 Process mining misconceptions:
Does size matter?
One of the most common misconceptions about process mining is the assumption that it is only relevant for companies with large amounts of data. Far from it!
Process mining is also useful for smaller amounts of data and can provide valuable insights. For example, it can be used to optimize processes in small teams or departments. Processes that cause bottlenecks or take too much time can be identified and improved. After all, it's not about the quantity, but the quality of the data. Even processes with only a few events can provide important insights if they are analyzed correctly. For example, it may be discovered that a certain process takes an unnecessarily long time. Improving this process can directly contribute to saving time and money. Process mining can also be used to examine customer behavior with smaller amounts of data. In this way, companies can gain valuable information to better understand their customers and optimize their offerings.
In short: Process mining is not a tool exclusively for large companies, but is of interest to all companies that want to improve their business processes.
Example: Online store
Example orders
Example of customer feedback
#2 Process mining misconceptions:
Rapid steps toward process optimization
It is true that a process mining tool—such as IBM Process Mining —serves to quickly gain an overview of the processes that are actually taking place. However, the real difficulty lies less in the tool itself and more in structuring and preparing the log event data (ETL route) of the process to be analyzed. Here, it is important to do your homework conscientiously and take a close look at the existing analytical content. The tool merely determines the actual process. However, any subsequent process modification or adaptation is the responsibility of the specialist department or consultant. This means that not every apparent suggestion for improvement has to be implemented if it does not achieve the desired effect. Close dialogue and critical consideration of the people involved in the process is therefore essential.
#3 Process mining misconceptions:
"Process mining replaces human expertise."
Another common misconception is that process mining replaces human expertise. However, it is only a support tool. Human know-how remains irreplaceable when it comes to interpreting the results of process mining in a meaningful way and translating them into concrete measures. Human knowledge and experience can be supplemented by process mining, thereby contributing to better decision-making. Ultimately, it is people who have the knowledge and understanding of the processes and are able to correctly interpret and explain the results of process mining.
A good example of how human expertise and process mining can work together is the identification of deviations in a process. First, process mining can help to identify such deviations. However, it is only through the expertise of employees that the reason for the deviation can be identified and remedied or deliberately defined as an exception to the standard process. It is therefore important that process mining is seen as a support for the work of experts and not as a replacement.
#4 Process mining misconceptions:
"Process mining is only suitable for process optimization."
#5 Process mining misconceptions:
Process mining only works with standardized processes
Another misconception about process mining is that many people believe it is only suitable for standardized or simply structured processes. However, this is not the case. Process mining can also be used successfully for complex and unstructured processes. This is because processes and relationships can also be visualized and analyzed here. However, it is important to understand that the analysis of complex processes is more time-consuming. It is also possible that the results are less clear-cut than with standardized processes. Nevertheless, process mining can still provide valuable insights and reveal potential.
One example of the successful use of process mining in complex and unstructured processes is the analysis of customer support requests. Here, there is often no clear process structure, but rather many different cases and exceptions. With process mining, you can still gain insights and identify optimization potential. By visualizing and analyzing the various steps and activities, you can find out where bottlenecks exist, which employees have to process a particularly large number of requests, and which types of requests occur particularly often. On this basis, you can take targeted improvement measures to increase customer satisfaction and efficiency in customer support. Process mining thus enables even seemingly unstructured processes to be better understood and optimized.
#6 Process mining misconceptions:
Process mining exposes inefficient employees
Summary: Moving away from gut feelings toward fact-based decisions
Let's be honest: process mining is not a miracle cure for optimizing processes to perfection in a short period of time. The topic is too complex for that and requires further perspectives, such as process strategy and its objectives. However, using a process mining tool such as IBM Process Mining (part of IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation) can help you move away from "gut feeling" and strive to optimize certain processes based on facts.
Do you have questions about this or are you considering introducing a process mining tool?
Then please feel free to contact us. Our team of process consulting experts will be happy to assist you with advice and support.
Cihan Klingsporn
Senior Account & Marketing Manager
Business Process Automation
cihan.klingsporn@isr.de
+49(0)151 422 05 471
