We talk a lot about robotic process automation (RPA) around here, and all the stuff that comes with it: What is RPA and how does it work? Who benefits from automation and how? But before you can even begin a discussion on automation, you have to zoom way out. You have to start by reviewing the process itself. One of the best ways to do this is to leverage process mining.
What is Process Mining?
Process mining involves extracting information from available data within your business process. Usually, this data is available in the form of event logs found within the systems you use every day. If you already have access to this information, great. This is where you start. If you don’t, EPSoft can help you find it. Process mining, like its popular older cousin data mining, uses data to help drive business decisions. But instead of looking for specified events, as is the goal with data mining, process mining looks for trends and details within the event logs. This gives a deep and comprehensive look at how your business processes get completed. With this detailed information in hand, you can then start analyzing it.
Why should you care about Process Mining?
When businesses begin considering RPA and other automation initiatives, they are typically already aware of kinks in the workflow. So you may be thinking: Why do I need to mine my process? I know my process, and I know where it’s broken. What I need is a way to fix it. And you’re right. You probably do know where it’s broken, at least at the most glaring spots. And perhaps automation would even solve that particular piece. But there’s much more to consider than just the specific problems you’re aware of. First, there are usually contributing factors to these sorts of challenges. So while you solve one problem, there are likely others that will only continue to get worse, regardless of what gets automated. Not only that, but the changes you do make could also have unanticipated collateral damage. Second, business process isn’t static. It’s a living, evolving thing. So, for today’s businesses, agility is key. You have to be flexible. The only way to do that–and in turn, make smart process-related changes that capitalize on that flexibility–is to have a thorough and complete understanding of how things work. And that is what process mining does.
What are the benefits of Process Mining?
The primary benefit of process mining is the ability to quickly analyze your business process. This gives you the opportunity to diagnose problems, devise action plans, prevent future problems before they begin, and constantly optimize. Even better, process mining can be paired with other technologies, like business analytics, to deliver easy-to-follow recommendations for making your business processes better. We call it Process Intelligence, and it’s what lays the groundwork for the most successful automation deployments.
To learn more about how process mining can impact your operation, schedule a free demo.