Introduction
How Task and Process Mining uncovers Process Intelligence and Digital Transformation opportunities
Every process and subprocess comprises multiple activities, typically done manually by employees using desktop applications. Many analytics have been done on employee performance, but little attention has been given to how the activities are performed at the level of user interaction.
This is where Task Mining comes in. The user interaction data is collected and analyzed to visualize how the activities are accomplished at the desktop level. The analysis of task-level data enables businesses to visualize the productivity impact and identify non-value-added tasks employees are required to perform daily.
On the other hand, Process Mining focuses on data from different source systems. It assists in identifying and visualizing inefficiencies and bottlenecks in the process to take intelligent, automated actions to eliminate them.
Using both Technologies in tandem helps paint an end-to-end view of a process, starting from user interaction data and process data from various applications.
Sneak Peek to understand what is User Interaction Data?
In a typical business environment, there are two sources of data –
- Business Data, and
- Agent/User Interaction Data
While the business data comes from the source systems in the form of event log (Timestamps, Unique ID, Activity name etc.), which is used for Process Mining.
What gets overlooked is the Desktop data or User Interaction data (actions, keystrokes, scrolls, mouse clicks, etc.), which gets generated as a user works on different applications going through multiple screens. It can help uncover outliers, exceptions, and patterns on how a user is interacting with the system and applications.
While Process Mining works beautifully on business data, without user interaction data, it lacks the trick to visualize an end-to-end view of the actual work being done. Task Mining aids in filling the missing pieces and give transparency on how the routine tasks are being done on user level.
Task Mining and Process Mining Solution & Capabilities
Although Digital Process Mining and Task Mining each possess powerful capabilities for gaining insights into respective areas, combining the two results in a powerful product that is comprehensive and compelling for driving tangible business results.
An overview of how these two technologies differ in their scope of work and what value can be generated if combined.
| Digital Process Mining | Task Mining | |
| Scope | Business and Enterprise level Processes | Specific task and how is it performed |
| Data Source | Event logs generated by core information systems | End user desktop application data |
| Focus | Overall process optimization and workflow management | Optimization of individual tasks |
| Effort | Understanding the impact specific process gaps have on business outcomes helps you prioritize | By correlating what user does with business data in operational systems, you can figure out how the actions impact the business |
| End-Result | More efficient, automated end-to-end processes | Simplified and automated tasks |
Exploring the potential of combining Process Mining and Task mining
Businesses these days are quite complex, with a human and digital workforce working in tandem across multiple systems and applications, leaving digital footprints. These digital records containing valuable data if analyzed properly, can be an eye-opener for Organizations to rely on and drive strategic initiatives.
By combining Process mining solutions and Task Mining capabilities, a winning combination of capabilities can be achieved for discovering, analyzing, monitoring and executing processes. Through this, organizations can execute their daily activities effectively, make informed decisions, drive intelligent actions, and drive the business forward.
Describing how complementing process mining with task mining can yield significant benefits
Objective and Complete View – Gaining Full Transparency
It is well known that Process Mining provides powerful insights, but Task Mining provides insights beyond transactional systems. By doing so, we can gain a complete understanding of the process supported by interaction data. This enables the fullest possible view of Business Strategy by bridging the gap between source systems and desktop activities.
Digital Transformation – Enabling Strategic Initiatives
The need for digital transformation is urgent, but how will you know what business line, processes, and activities to transform?
Process and Task mining are at the forefront to enable businesses with this crucial information. To succeed with digital transformation, organizations need visibility into how people, processes and tasks operate within their businesses. Also, they need to understand where the bottlenecks are and how well the automated processes perform daily.
All improvement insights from the mining exercise become the input for Digital Transformation. So be it the coveted Automation. With Process and Task Mining, it’s easy to identify repetitive, manual, and error-prone activities which can be automated.
Automation, Process and Task mining enable quick wins around business process reengineering, Benchmarking and other digital interventions.
KPI Tracking
The combined solution provides a means of tracking key performance indicators more closely and accurately for individual tasks that are often overlooked. Identifying outliers associated with response/service delays and employee handovers becomes easier. This feature allows you to create a complete history of every process iteration, regardless of whether you use different systems to perform different steps.
Productivity Gains
Process and Task Mining assists in identifying the hidden tasks and handovers that prevent employees from being productive and causing them to be slow. Also presents a picture of the overall impact it has on the processes. This information will provide businesses with the tools to make informed decisions regarding appropriate workforce use, increasing productivity.
Increased Compliance
Enhanced monitoring is possible with this winning proposition as organizations take data-informed process improvement decisions while ensuring increased compliance.
It facilitates the monitoring of high-risk tasks and activities and the mitigation of the associated risks by using intelligent triggers and proactive reporting.
What are the Industry Use Cases for Process and Task Mining?
Process and Task Mining are dynamic, and their application is widespread across industries and processes. The concept can be applied to all kinds of processes, Customer Service (Front and Back end), Order to Cash, Accounts Receivable, Inventory Management, Procure to Pay etc.
Beyond the specific processes highlighted above, giving a detailed view of the value Process and Task Mining can create a strategic tool in the following areas –
- Customer Service – Process and Task Mining can perfectly cut in this domain and help uncover many insights around resolution times, employee inefficiencies, cycle time, Net Promoter Score and others. The expected improvements are 15-20 points in Net Promoter Score and 5-10% in first contact resolution.
- IT Service Management – Another area where Process and Task Mining is very effective; IT teams spend a lot of time responding to service tickets and managing backlogs. The dual power of Process and Task mining can help cut down on multi-hops and identify ways to resolve tickets in the first touch. It can help uncover the actual reasons for a delay which can be actioned upon quickly. Multi-hops can be reduced by 15-20% through this solution.
- Back Office – Back-office processes across various industries and domains can benefit from this joint proposition. As all back-office work is done on a desktop, getting intelligence around how the tasks are performed and their impact on the overall process can be an eye-opener for business. Potential to deliver ~60% reduction in cycle time for chronic cases.
- Driving Self-Service – Most organizations are moving towards self-service, so evaluating the effectiveness of your self-service channels and their impact on the customer experience is imperative. The unique combination of Process and Task Mining provides quick insights into what is working and where gaps may exist.
About the Author
Amit Bhalla – Experienced Business & Digital Transformation Leader with 17+ years of experience implementing, solutioning and leading digital transformation programs across IT, Business Process Services, and global shared services.
