How process mining readies the ground for RPA

Lars Reinkemeyer is global process mining lead at Siemens, the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe and guest lecturer at University of California in Santa Barbara and Stanford GSB. He is also the editor of a new book, Process Mining in Action which features contributions from several speakers appearing at Process Mining Live 2020 and contains 12 operational use cases from companies like BMW, Siemens and Uber.

PEX Network asked Reinkemeyer about why transparency is important in PEX, whether process mining is an answer to RPA’s scaling problem and why this technology could be instrumental in helping businesses become sustainable.

PEX Network:
In your new book you say: “Transparency is a prerequisite for digital transformation.” What is digital transformation?

Lars Reinkemeyer:
Digital transformation means the usage of digital technologies to transform existing business processes and customer experiences. External digital transformation allows companies to develop exciting new business models.

From within a company, digital transformation fuels internal process excellence. Internal digital transformation for companies like ABB, Bosch or Siemens is about using digital tools for process insights, process automation and transforming internal processes towards a digital enabled organization.

PEX Network:
Why is transparency so important to this transformation?

Lars Reinkemeyer:
Without transparency you won’t know your status quo and where your opportunities are. Transparency allows us to understand how operational processes are currently working and to identify process inefficiencies. Transparency can be achieved with Process Mining, as it allows a holistic understanding of all processes and activities. Based on this transparency you can focus on the activities which generate the highest impact, such as where it makes sense to use digital tools such as RPA.

PEX Network:
Once these opportunities for transformation are identified, how should PEX professionals approach putting the solutions into action?

Lars Reinkemeyer:
Purpose comes first and is fundamental. To put a powerful solution into action you need to understand the purpose of the internal process owners and what they wish to transform. Purpose is typically defined in use cases such as reducing rework in a procurement process or to increase automation for a sales process. Purpose has to be developed in close collaboration with process owners and digital tools will deliver value for these purposes.

PEX Network:
Process mining is all about the technology. Where do people fit in?

Lars Reinkemeyer:
To drive a successful project, you need to have the right people who are passionate about process mining and understand the necessity and power of transformation. Select them carefully and establish process heroes who support you in driving the process mining effort throughout the organization.

PEX Network:
Why is process mining such a good foundation for RPA?

Lars Reinkemeyer:
As Process Mining provides holistic insights and understanding of actual processes and mundane manual activities, it can be a scout to identify the right opportunities for RPA implementation. As it adds transparency, you can use it to guide RPA bots for the tasks with highest impact. Essentially it identifies opportunities where bots make sense, such as processes that have a large amount of repetitive or manual effort.

PEX Network:
What role does process mining have to play in sustainability? Is it helping transition towards a more sustainable economy?

Lars Reinkemeyer:
Innovative technology should not only support economical, but also ecological sustainability. Sustainability is definitely something we can achieve with the digital enabled organization. Process mining can help logistics to reduce empty transports, improve process efficiency and reduce material waste. There are some more examples in the book Process Mining in Action. I expect digital tools to enable businesses for more sustainable operations and help protect the future of the planet for us all.

Process Mining Live 2020 is the world’s largest online process mining event. Join us to learn more about the latest developments, put your questions to the experts and find out how your business can benefit from the technology.