Data visualization: The key to optimization

Process mining: Professional data analysis for continuous process improvement

Every business process leaves its mark in the IT systems of an organization. These marks can be traced back to process mining, a combination of systematic data analysis and business process management.

More and more organizations are using process mining to better understand and systematically optimize day-to-day operations in their organization. Process data is extracted from the various IT systems of an organization and visualized and evaluated with the help of data science technologies.

Process mining requires some technical preparation to enable comprehensive data analysis:

1. Data extraction

Relevant data from different IT systems are aggregated. Data sources can include data-based tables from ERP and CRM solutions, analytical data such as reports, log files, CSV files, etc.

2. Data conversion

This step is required for the data to comply with the format needed for process mining. The extracted data is converted into cases, a sequence of different process steps. Cases are time-stamped and stored in event logs

3. Data transmission

The process mining software accesses the stored event logs.

Process mining: Data visualization enables process discovery and improvement

The technical prerequisites for these methods are provided by the Signavio Process Intelligence analysis tool. This technology allows aggregating and analyzing process data from an organization’s various CRM and ERP systems. On this basis, process owners and analysts gain data-based insights into day-to-day operations.

By visualizing the evaluated process data, it is possible to identify unwanted process behavior, including delays and reduced performance, process deviations, compliance violations, and potential risks. This data visualization is what allows organizations and employees to examine the way they actually work, and determine the opportunities for improvement.

With the help of the other modules within the Signavio Business Transformation Suite, it is possible to discuss the findings with your team and to initiate process optimization—thus enabling comprehensive business process discovery as part of an enterprise-wide process initiative.

New for Signavio Process Intelligence: Improved data upload

Signavio’s mission is to create products that customers love. Therefore, our software continues to evolve. The latest innovation in the Signavio Process Intelligence analysis module is improved data upload, which facilitates the step from the conversion to the transmission of process data, and thus the technical preparations for systematic data evaluation. In other words, Signavio Process Intelligence now takes you from data collection to data visualization, faster.

The improved data upload in Signavio Process Intelligence works as follows:

1. You first select the process to which the existing data will be added or create a new process.
2. In the menu item “Process Properties” add the new file via drag and drop or select it via the “browse” button. Possible formats for the file upload are:
   (a) XES files (containing events and attributes): Upload succeeds without additional manual steps
   (b) CSV files (for events and attributes respectively): Columns can be edited
   (C) Zip files
3. The “Status” column shows the progress of the data upload.
4. And that’s it! The data upload is now easier, because the user interface has been improved and the effort for each step is reduced.

XES files can now be uploaded without additional steps, and uploading CSV files is also made easier, because the attribute columns for activities, timestamp, case ID are now automatically recognized and proposed for use. (These suggestions can be accepted by software users or manually adjusted.)

The improved functionality makes it much easier for process experts to complete the often complex step of data preparation. In turn, this means you can more quickly identify the areas you can optimize your processes, and improve the way your business works.

Process mining and data visualization in your organization

If you’d like to know more about the history and impact of process mining on organizations of all shapes and sizes, take a look at Signavio’s exclusive report on democratizing process mining. Or, if you’re ready to move beyond research and get started with data visualization yourself, sign up for a free 30-day trial with Signavio today.