Just imagine cruising around in your car without a speedometer or fuel gauge. You never really know when you might hit the speed limit or when service will simply be a matter of running out of fuel. This is how many businesses today operate — without actual visibility into their very own processes.
That is where process mapping and process mining come into the picture. They work hand-in-hand so the company may achieve clarity, understand flow, and preempt issues.
This is going to be a breakdown, step-by-step.
What is Process Mapping?
Process mapping is simply a map showing exactly how work is done. It shows each step, from start to finish.
For instance, consider the case of a customer placing an order online; maybe these are some of the steps:
- The customer places an order
- Payment is received
- The order is packed
- The order is shipped
- The order is delivered
Each of these steps can be drawn as a box connected by arrows. This is a process map.
With this map, everyone in the team knows what should happen, when it should happen, and who is responsible.
What is Process Mining?
Process mining goes a step further. While process mapping is about planning or documenting the flow, process mining shows what is happening in real-time.
It uses data from your software systems (like ERP, CRM, etc.) to uncover how a process is working. You might find delays, missing steps, or even extra steps that are wasting time and money.
In simple words, process mining turns your process map into a live dashboard.
Why Use Both?
You might be wondering — why do I need both process mapping and process mining?
Here’s the truth:
- Process mapping shows how things should work.
- Process mining shows how things actually work.
When you use both together, you get a full picture. You can find gaps, compare ideal vs real, and predict where things might break.
Think of process mapping as planning your trip on Google Maps. And process mining is like the live traffic update. Together, they help you avoid roadblocks before you hit them.
Predicting Failures Before They Happen
Now comes the exciting part — how do these tools predict problems before they occur?
Let’s understand this with some examples.
1. Finding Bottlenecks
Let’s say your map shows that order packing should take 1 hour. But the mining tool shows it’s taking 3 hours for most orders.
This is a bottleneck — a step that’s slowing everything down.
Now that you’ve spotted it early, you can investigate and fix it before it leads to late deliveries and unhappy customers.
2. Spotting Rule Breaks
Every company has rules. Like, every refund request must be approved within 3 days.
But process mining can show if people are skipping steps, delaying approvals, or handling things manually.
This means you catch the issue early — before customers start complaining or you lose money due to errors.
3. Detecting Unusual Patterns
Sometimes, your process works smoothly most of the time. But once in a while, something strange happens — like a duplicate order or missing document.
Process mining tools can flag these odd patterns. This helps your team investigate before a small issue turns into a major failure.
4. Forecasting Delays
Let’s say your normal order-to-delivery time is 5 days.
With process mining, you can track delays as they start to happen. Maybe a supplier is taking longer than usual. Or your packing team is short-staffed.
The system can predict future delays using past data, helping you act before customers are affected.
5. Monitoring Compliance
Are employees following the right steps? Are safety checks being skipped? Are documents being missed?
With process mining, you can set alerts if important steps are being missed. This ensures everything stays on track, and you reduce the risk of failure due to human error.
Real-World Example: An E-Commerce Company
Let’s take a simple example. An e-commerce company uses process mapping to design how customer returns should work.
The ideal map looks like this:
- Customer requests return
- Request is approved
- Pickup is scheduled
- The product is received
- Refund is processed
But process mining shows something else:
- Step 2 (approval) is being delayed in 20% of cases.
- In 10% of returns, refunds are being processed before the product is received.
- Some pickups are being missed altogether.
This mismatch means potential fraud, customer dissatisfaction, and loss of money.
By combining both tools, the company can correct these gaps before customers complain or financial damage happens.
Benefits of Process Mapping + Mining
Using these tools is like having X-ray vision for your business. Here’s what you get:
Better Visibility
You no longer work in the dark. You know what’s happening in every corner of the process.
Early Warnings
You don’t wait for failures. You get alerts when things are going off-track.
Higher Efficiency
By removing bottlenecks and repeated steps, you speed up your process.
Happier Customers
Fast service, fewer errors, and better communication lead to satisfied customers.
Cost Savings
Less rework, fewer mistakes, and timely action help save big money.
Getting Started: 3 Simple Steps
If you’re new to this, don’t worry. Here’s a simple way to begin:
Step 1: Map Your Processes
Use flowcharts or simple diagrams. Start with high-impact areas like order processing, customer support, or inventory.
Step 2: Collect Data for Mining
Connect your tools — ERP, CRM, HRMS, or any software you use. Make sure the data is clean and complete.
Step 3: Analyse and Act
Use process mining tools to compare actual flows with your map. Set alerts for issues. Fix gaps before they become failures.
Final Thoughts
In today’s fast-moving world, businesses can’t afford surprises. A small mistake in one step can snowball into a big problem.
With process mapping and process mining, you get control, clarity, and confidence. You know your process inside out. You spot red flags early. And most importantly, you act before things go wrong.
So, if you want to work smarter, serve better, and stay ahead, start mapping and mining today.
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