Process mining in production and logistics

Use case development

Which processes offer the greatest potential for process mining in production and logistics?

Process mining is currently one of the technologies that promises the most success for attempts to improve existing processes in companies. There are already countless examples of this for processes in finance, procurement and sales. In the areas of logistics and production, the challenges are more complex.

That’s why we start process mining in every company with a comprehensive introduction to the topic for everyone involved. We then use this knowledge base to examine your core processes together with your process experts from the areas of production and logistics. In this way, we find out and understand where the shoe is currently pinching. We develop these examples into specific use cases and then evaluate the processes and solutions discussed in terms of feasibility, cost and impact. This results in a prioritization for the first process mining projects and the decision as to which business process we start with process mining.

Our service packages:

• Comprehensive introduction to the topic of process mining in production and logistics with training
• Identify potential process mining use cases
• Estimate feasibility and costs for the developed use cases

Your benefit:

1. Tailor-made introduction to the topic from a production and logistics perspective
2. Transparent overview of your application options
3. Evaluation and prioritization – clear overview of the next steps

Data check

We check your data for compatibility and availability.

Process mining uses the digital traces that processes leave behind in the various systems. In order to be able to use these tracks, it is crucial that the data is complete and can also be clearly assigned to individual process steps. More precisely, it must be possible to clearly assign each action to a process run (e.g. a production part) if it is required for the implementation of a use case.

What sounds banal and obvious is anything but trivial in many cases. Especially when data from different systems has to be combined, there are often gaps in the data trail of the process flows. These must be identified and evaluated for use case implementation. As a first step, we therefore always check whether all data is available. If this is not the case in all parts of the process, we also use our industry and IT knowledge to support you in further developing your data landscape. The concrete implementation of the use case can then take place on this basis.

Our service packages:

• Check logistics and production data
• Identify ambiguities and gaps in the process data
• Support the upgrading of your systems

Your benefit:

1. Transparent display of process data
2. If necessary: Future-oriented adaptation of your data landscape

Structure of the data model

Connection and processing of the necessary data

When developing the use cases and in the data check, we have already identified and checked which data we need for the analysis and whether it can be retrieved cleanly in your systems. This data will later be processed in a process mining engine. In order to successfully implement a process mining project, it is desirable to connect your IT system live to the process mining engine. This means that the information can be processed immediately and analyzed without delay. Together with those responsible in your IT department, we ensure that the connection runs smoothly and that the performance of the source system is not impaired.

We then set up the data model required for the analysis. We first discuss which data is available with your process specialists. If we determine in this step that the data quality is not optimal or that the data cannot be used efficiently, we will be happy to develop specific suggestions for improvement tailored to your processes, with which the quality of the data model can be improved by simple measures.

Our service packages:

• Identify required data in your systems
• Organize automatic data flow from the source systems into the process mining application
• Create data model

Your benefit:

1. Secure connection of your systems to the Process Mining application
2. Coordination of data security requirements with your IT department

Process analysis and verification

Evaluation of the data and adaptation to real processes

Once the process mining application has started its work, we can begin to evaluate the process on the basis of the data model – and at the same time verify once again with the help of your specialist department that the digital image actually corresponds to the real process.

If it turns out that there are still deviations here, we make the necessary adjustments to the model or decide together with you on the integration of additional data. Only when the data model meets your expectations do we proceed to the next analysis steps.

Our service packages:

• Verify processes together with the specialist department
• Adapt the model so that all process variations can be captured
• Integrate additional data for the use cases into the data model if necessary

Your benefit:

1. Coordinated data model with the end users
2. Enrichment of the data model to meet your requirements

Inefficiencies and bottlenecks

First anomalies and possible improvement measures

Once we have obtained a verified digital image of a process including visualization with the first steps, we discuss this together with your experts. In doing so, we benefit from our many years of experience in many comparable projects: this enables us to quickly identify process loops, bottlenecks and other inefficiencies.

We then discuss the findings that we have gained from the digital image and from the discussions with the process owners with the specialist departments in your company. Here we can clarify the causes of the inefficiencies and bottlenecks – and, above all, jointly determine how they can be eliminated. With a joint assessment of how great the benefits can be if bottlenecks are eliminated, we can prioritize and implement the measures and then measure and monitor their benefits.

Our service packages:

• Uncovering process inefficiencies
• Identify solutions to eliminate bottlenecks
• Implement solutions, measure and monitor success

Your benefit:

1. Not just analysis, but rapid derivation of concrete measures
2. Measuring the effectiveness of the measures

Process automation

Automation of recurring activities, rule-based or with AI support

The digital image of your process makes it easy to uncover manually performed but repetitive process steps. For these, we propose solutions that can be automated with the help of process mining.

We discuss the options with your process specialists and test our proposed solutions with you in detail before the automation goes live and is integrated into the existing processes. And, of course, we ensure that the automation can be switched off again at any time.

Our service packages:

• Search for manual processes that are suitable for automation
• Develop automation solutions based on process mining, RPA and AI applications
• Implement the solution and support it during the go-live phase

Your benefit:

1. Repetitive manual tasks are reduced or avoided altogether
2. Qualified employees gain working time to deal with important issues

Monitoring, notification and control

Secure critical processes

For critical processes, it is particularly important that you can intervene quickly if something goes wrong. We work with you to identify those processes where this is essential and set up automated notifications that alert the relevant personnel if there are any deviations from the planned process.

The decision as to when a notification is sent is either based on a set of rules that we develop together with you or is made by an intelligent alarm system that we train using a machine learning algorithm. On request, we can also enable certain activities to be carried out with direct intervention in the system (e.g. via SAP).

Our service packages:

• Identify critical processes
• Create a set of rules for notification or set up an AI/ML solution
• Check and implement the possibility of direct intervention in the controlling system

Your benefit:

1. Increased process reliability
2. Warnings and rapid response to problems that arise

Reporting

Reports with important key figures for business users

Process mining is up and running: you have a robust data model, can analyze the processes and have already introduced initial measures to bring about improvements. With automation for standard processes and notifications for critical processes, you can exploit new savings opportunities and gain security.

But of course you want to know more precisely whether and to what extent your processes will really improve as a result: What are the specific benefits of process mining? To ensure that you always have an overview, we create the necessary reporting system. You will be informed about all important key figures directly from the process mining application at all times. Your business users also receive prepared reports in which they can quickly and easily carry out their own analyses in order to answer specific questions in operational business.

Our service packages:

• Create reporting
• Train employees so that they can use the reports profitably in depth

Your benefit:

1. You always stay informed about the process performance
2. Own analyses are possible at any time in the prepared environment

Use case examples of process mining in production and logistics

We have already gained some experience with process mining in the areas of production and logistics. Here are some concrete application examples. We would be happy to develop further ideas with you individually!