Why your data strategy and process mining decisions should be aligned

The significance of a company’s data strategy in its process mining decisions is crucial. Data strategy involves planning for managing and using data in an organisation, while process mining uses data to discover, monitor, and improve business processes.

Although these concepts are usually seen as separate, with silos between data and process teams in large organisations, when they collaborate effectively, process mining and data strategy becomes a potent tool for business success.

This article delves into their relationship and emphasises the importance of making decisions about them together to maximize their benefits.

Understanding process mining 

When your employees or software robots engage with IT systems like SAP, Salesforce, or Oracle, their activities create a trail of data.

Process mining is an effective methodology that enables organisations to gather this data, providing a clear and objective view of their business processes.

The stages of process mining include:

  1. Data extraction: Collecting event logs from different sources.
  2. Preprocessing: Cleaning and formatting the data for analysis.
  3. Process discovery: Creating a visual representation of the process flow.
  4. Conformance checking: Comparing the actual process flow with the expected process flow.
  5. Process enhancement: Optimising the process based on the insights gained from the analysis.

 

No need to worry, as reputable process mining tools in the market can typically execute these steps with minimal effort.

With analytical insights from process mining, you can pinpoint areas for improvement and streamline operations. It’s an excellent method to enhance your digital transformation initiatives and foster innovation throughout your organisation.

Therefore, a robust data strategy, especially regarding data collection and availability, is essential for successful process mining.

The role of data in modern business strategy 

In the past, data was often seen as a byproduct of business activities, carrying little value beyond the initial process. While some subsequent tasks might have required the data, it wasn’t highly regarded.

In contemporary times, data has evolved into a crucial component of numerous business initiatives due to advanced data collection, reporting, analytics, and the sheer volume of data available. It’s now common for application data to be utilised by multiple systems for various purposes.

Despite this transformation, many companies struggle to meet their objectives in capturing, sharing, managing, and analysing corporate data assets. Once an organisation establishes a well-defined data strategy, it can employ process mining to harness its data for optimising its processes.

How is process mining related to a company’s data strategy? 

Data serves as the fuel for process mining – it’s just not feasible to conduct process mining without it. However, what is frequently disregarded is the synchronisation of the process mining investment decision with the overarching data strategy.

Data is the fundamental element, the raw material, for process mining. Hence, it’s crucial to acknowledge that even if a company isn’t ready for process mining at present, the data strategy should be capable of accommodating it in the future.

Let’s take an example.

The company’s top management and data team have chosen to implement Data Warehouse X and migrate all ERP data within 2-3 years.

Typically, the selection of a data storage cloud or warehouse is a long-term decision. A sensible approach to the data strategy would involve considering tools or vendors that can integrate with that data warehouse or cloud in the future.

In a modern approach, no data integration is necessary, as applications can operate natively using warehouse resources without relocating the data.

For instance, if the company plans to explore process mining after the ERP data is uploaded to the new data cloud, it’s essential to research and even make preliminary decisions on a vendor that is fully aligned and compliant with their chosen data warehouse.

Real-life example: QPR ProcessAnalyzer and Snowflake 

Snowflake Data Cloud’s special design allows for faster, simpler, and more flexible data storage, processing, and analytics compared to traditional data warehouses.

QPR ProcessAnalyzer works seamlessly on any data lake with its in-memory engine, but it uniquely operates natively within the Snowflake Data Cloud. This setup leverages Snowflake’s scalability and unified data policy.

By using QPR ProcessAnalyzer, you tap into Snowflake’s virtually limitless scaling capacity. This empowers you to identify process inefficiencies from billions of data rows almost instantly.

“We connected to Snowflake in 5 minutes and saw results the same day. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
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Get a quick overview so you can spend your time improving your processes.

You can easily define and set up processes according to your own needs using a convenient layout tool. In addition, since all types of workflow processes can be managed, you get all case management in one single system. 

Analyses, statistics and reports give you an unbeatable overview with real-time status and division of responsibility. Nothing has to fall through the cracks anymore and you always have an accurate and up-to-date base for decision-making.

CANEA Process is a tool that allows you to model and share business processes in an easy-to-use graphical web interface.

Seeing is understanding

Visualisation gives all employees an understanding of the organisation’s processes, activities, responsibilities and information flows.

Living processes

Identifying working methods while making it easy to update is the basis for continuous improvement of processes.

Create a complete picture

Linking together documents, information and tools with clickable process maps create an intuitive and comprehensive management system.

CANEA Workflow is an IT solution that automates, quality-assures and speeds up administrative workflow processes.

You can easily define and set up processes according to your own needs using a convenient layout tool. In addition, since all types of workflow processes can be managed, you get all case management in one single system. 

Analyses, statistics and reports give you an unbeatable overview with real-time status and division of responsibility. Nothing has to fall through the cracks anymore and you always have an accurate and up-to-date base for decision-making.

By creating executable processes in CANEA Workflow, you get both better control of the situation and smoother processing.

Streamlining the work

Ensure compliance and that handovers are done correctly and with the right information.

Correct decision support

You get an unbeatable overview of the processes in real time, with both clear reports and clear diagrams.

Improve processes continuously

Our process support can be constantly adapted to changing needs and requirements. In this way, we give you the best possible conditions for your daily work.

A document management system without complicated folder structures.

CANEA Document combines simple and intuitive search features with powerful features for managing documents from a life cycle perspective.

Maximum availability
Search and find information quickly based on what you need, not where it is stored.

High security
Ensure accuracy, changes and access to all information – with high traceability.

Fulfils requirements
Manage information according to standards, legislation and other requirements for document management.

CANEA Document supports everything from production, publication and modification to archiving and deletion – with full traceability and version management.

CANEA Document provides secure management of all types of documents – in one place. Tagging the information with metadata creates a virtual, multidimensional folder structure. This means that a document appears in multiple locations at the same time, with authorisation-controlled access. The right information in the right place for the right users at the right time!

You can usefully add your company’s process-oriented management system to CANEA Document. All production and distribution of documents is quality-assured and streamlined. In addition, your employees always have access to the most up-to-date version of the documents – directly via intranet, tablets and mobile phones.

Improve the performance of your project activities

CANEA Project is a comprehensive project tool with integrated support for all types of projects and parties– such as management, resource owners, clients, project managers and project participants. CANEA Project gives you an excellent overview of your entire project portfolio, including profitability and status, making it easier to prioritize and make decisions.

CANEA Project shares all important project information with both internal and external members.

Let your project manager focus on management rather than administration and distribution of the information.

Gather all project information in one place and make it available to both internal and external members.

Helps you with prioritization of projects, resource management and analysis of portfolios and programs.

Make reality of the strategy

CANEA Strategy makes it possible for organisations of all sizes to create a unique common thread from the strategic work to the daily operations. We do not just provide performance management tools but rather a completely new generation of IT support for strategy activation. The system guarantees and provides support throughout the chain from strategy to execution. You get no results without action. CANEA Strategy makes it possible in practise! 

CANEA Strategy ensures and provides support throughout the entire journey from strategy to execution.

Create a shared understanding of the strategy, the goal to achieve and how.

Gives management an unbeatable overview of what’s happening, how it’s progressing, and why.

Creates a clear common thread from the strategy to project, initiatives and actions.