Process mining plays a vital role in elevating both performance management and operational excellence. By leveraging event logs from enterprise systems, it uncovers how processes truly function, not just how we perceive them to.
Contents
What Is Process Mining?
Process mining extracts insights from digital footprints left in IT systems to visualise, analyse, and improve real-world business processes. Instead of relying on interviews, workshops, or assumptions, it uses actual data to build a crystal-clear picture of how work flows and where it breaks down.
How It Supports Performance Management
Process mining enables a fact-based approach to managing process performance through key metrics:
- Process Effectiveness
Measures how well a process meets customer needs. Metrics include quality, error rates, satisfaction, and profitability. For example, in manufacturing, it might track the % of defective units; in marketing, it might analyse conversion rates. Process mining highlights gaps between actual and ideal workflows. - Process Efficiency
Focuses on reducing waste, time, cost, and resources. Mining tools help detect bottlenecks, underutilised skills, and unnecessary activities, unlocking ROI and improving takt time. - Cycle Time & Turnaround
Tracks how long it takes to complete a task. With process mining, you can measure lead time (from start to end), value-added time (active work), and turnaround time (from delivery request), all of which are critical for service delivery. - Process Compliance
Checks whether workflows adhere to rules, internal SOPs, or external regulations. Mining can detect deviations, trigger alerts, and even identify root causes of non-compliance. One logistics firm identified 70% of compliance risks in its credit collections process in this manner.
How It Drives Operational Excellence
Operational excellence isn’t about chasing perfection; it’s about continuously removing friction from how work gets done. Process mining is a tactical accelerator here.
- Bottleneck & Delay Identification
From banking to healthcare, case studies demonstrate how process mining reveals the hidden steps that slow things down. For example, Credibom cut cycle times by 18% in its credit approvals using Celonis. - Cost Reduction
By mapping workflows, companies can identify and isolate expensive steps, as well as pinpoint opportunities for automation. Vodafone reduced unit order costs by automating low-efficiency steps identified through data mining. - Compliance & Standardization
Mining ensures processes stay aligned with regulations, internal standards, or best practices, especially during scale-up, system migrations, or change initiatives. - End-to-End Visibility
You don’t just get a Gantt chart, you get complete transparency into who does what, when, and how. This allows teams to zoom in on inefficiencies or zoom out to identify system-wide trends. - Data-Driven Decisions
No more guessing. Process mining replaces anecdote with analytics, enabling fact-based process improvement decisions and ongoing performance tracking. - Automation & RPA Readiness
Before automating, mining reveals first-time-right rates, handovers, and inefficiencies. After implementation, it evaluates the effectiveness of RPA and identifies the following candidates. - Organizational Insights
Organisational mining (a subfield) visualises how teams and departments interact. It highlights collaboration patterns, communication breakdowns, and resource utilisation gaps, unlocking better teamwork.
Common Barriers and How to Overcome Them
Despite its value, many organisations struggle to scale process mining. According to surveys done by PwC:
- 50% indicated not using advanced techniques like process mining to capture process insights
- 52% Unavailability of process mining tooling or expertise
- 33% lack a dedicated process function
- 30% struggle with fragmented IT systems
The solution? Start small, partner with experts, and align technical implementation with clear business goals. Process mining succeeds when it’s embedded into decision-making, rather than being treated as a side project.
Check out my latest post for more insights on PM success factors
Final Thoughts
Process mining is more than a dashboard; it’s a performance accelerator. When paired with a clear operating model and empowered teams, it becomes a cornerstone of transformation.
Whether you’re chasing efficiency, compliance, or digital transformation, process mining turns your system data into operational clarity and clarity into action.