The Process Mining Lifecycle

Continuous Process Excellence

• Collect

  This phase is the most important but perhaps also the most challenging phase when you start on your process mining journey. We need to gather the data that we’re going to mine. Nowadays all modern systems and platforms keep this data in log-files. Every step, click, record, etc. is captured in these logs. The only thing we need to do is transform the data into so-called event logs. These event log provide Celonis the necessary data to start mining your processes activities.

  Now that we have the data we need to transfer it to Celonis. We can start with an initial manual upload but we also need to start thinking about real-time data integration because you don’t want to perform daily downloads and uploads from your source systems to Celonis. This needs to be automated and scheduled. Celonis provides connectors to a number of different systems and platform for this.

• Discovery

  Once the data is in Celonis we can start visualizing and more importantly analyzing your data by using the comprehensive Celonis EMS AI and Machine Learning algorithms. We’re certain that the output will absolutely astonish you as you get a first and above all complete overview of your actual process including intermediate steps, ALL intermediate steps.

  This phase is also all about understanding the root causes of process inefficiencies and undesired process behavior. With this information we can start by getting the answers to the “who, what, when, where, why and how” questions. The data is already there.

• Enhance

  Now that we have the data in Celonis, ran the AI and Machine Learning Algorithms, built the dashboards and gained an initial overview of all opportunities we can now start enhancing your processes.

  Depending on the platform or system you’re running, smart automation can be orchestrated through the Celonis Execution Management System or by using dedicated RPA-tooling like UiPath or other forms of automation/integration.

• Monitor

  This phase is all about monitoring your solutions. You focus on your KPIs. Are solutions performing and do they conform with process models. The output of this phase can also lead to new initiatives and with that it closes the continues improvement loop.

• Strategy, goals and objectives

  The Process Mining Lifecycle primarily focusses on the on-going activities of process mining. However there is another very important phase that must be completed BEFORE you start using the technology. We have to discuss and agree on goals and objectives, sponsorship, governance, success criteria, etc.. We need to answer questions such as:

  Why do you want to embark on this journey?
  Who will sponsor this journey?
  When are we going to be successful?
  How do the improvements add up to the organization’s strategy or reversed; how is the strategy going to support process mining?
  Who will be responsible for managing the IT/Process adjustments that we will initiate?
  And many more questions…

• Continuous Improvement

  Process Mining is all about continuous improvement. This simply means you strive to improve with every step of the journey. Both with existing solutions as well as new solutions that you discovered just recently or were put on a backlog a while ago. The overarching goal is to strengthen your company’s bottom line by optimizing all relevant processes.