Process diagnostics: a method based on process mining

erikgielstra

Subject of discussion:
Bozkaya, M., Gabriels, J., & Werf, J. M. E. M. (2009, February). Process diagnostics: a method based on process mining. In Information, Process, and Knowledge Management, 2009. eKNOW'09. International Conference on (pp. 22-27). IEEE.

Abstract:
As organizations change, their information systems can evolve from simple systems to complex systems, which are hard to understand, and therefore hard to maintain or extend. Process mining can help organizations in trying to understand the information systems by analyzing the system.In this paper we propose a methodology to perform process diagnostics, based on process mining. Given an event log of an information system within an organization, process diagnostics gives a broad overview of the organization's process(es) within a short period of time. In the process diagnostics methodology, several perspectives of the process are highlighted. The outcome covers the control flow perspective, the performance perspective and the organizational perspective. We used the methodology on a case study for a Dutch governmental organization.

Download link: http://www.win.tue.nl/processmining/_media/publications/bozkayamethod.pdf

In this paper a methodology is proposed to make a diagnostics of a process based on process mining. The methodology is designed to deliver within a short period of time a broad overview of the process(es) within the information system. Key in this methodology is the absence of prior and domain specific knowledge. The only information available is the event log. This also implies that the diagnostics only presents facts about the process. It is up to the organization to interpret the outcome of the diagnostics.  

If I understand correctly this methodology operates under the assumption that no specific domain knowledge (e.g. muncipalities, finance, healthcare, etc) is needed nor prior knowledge about process mining. How do you assess the quality of this methodology? It provides a good overview of the possibilities process mining offers to organizations but is it the preferred method?

JBuijs

Dear Erik,

Thank you for your interesting question (and apologies for my late reply).

Recently a new approach/framework is proposed, the L*-framework.
See wwwis.win.tue.nl/~wvdaalst/publications/p615.pdf

Prior knowledge of the domain, data, but most importantly the issues and questions by the domain are very important for your analysis. Otherwise you can create many analysis results, none of which are interesting for your client.

erikgielstra

Hello Joos,

Thanks for you clear reply. On first look it already looks like a much better fit to the problems many organizations face. I will definitely look into it and incorporate parts of the methodology.