How to Safeguard Investment with Process Mining Proof of Concept
Proof of Concept (PoC) provides the hard evidence needed to support a business hunch. A successful PoC pushes the abstract framework of business theory into factual evidence relevant to a specific organization. Here’s how to prove the worth of process mining technology with a 4 steps PoC.If a proof of concept is imminent, it means a thorough business case for process mining has been written, a software selection team assembled, price / performance ratio options considered, and systems are being prepared for data extraction. Before going much further, take a step back to ensure a SMART goal is defined.
1. Define specific goal for PoC and set measurable targets
For a Proof of Concept to fulfill its purpose — demonstrate worth of pursuit — a clear goal with measurable targets must be set. This goal is a subset of the larger business case and should be focused on a specific problem.
The goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based in order to deliver the most impactful results. For example, an insurance company might want to improve claim processingby compressing the time between claim submission and provider response. A goal statement may go as follows:
The goal of this week-long PoC is to identify the top 3 drivers of claim processing delay and decrease processing time by 25% from 72 hours to 54 hours.
Specific — focused solely on claim processing delay. Claim accuracy may also be a problem, but it’s not included in this statement.
Measurable — hard numbers give a baseline on which results can be pegged against estimations. While more than 3 delay drivers may be revealed, focus on a small number for the sake of time and impact.
Achievable — set tough, yet realistic goals. Depending on the health of your processes, you can have a 10% — 25% time reduction, especially on a lethargic or outdated process, is highly achievable.
Relevant — select a goal that will have meaningful impact on current needs. If claims processes delays are causing problems for multiple teams, this goal is highly relevant to a wide range of people.
Time-based — a proof of concept investigation is short in time and big on impact. While BPM transformations may take months or years, limit the time given to a PoC to 2 weeks after receiving the necessary data.
2. Prepare system data for process mining
Once a PoC framework and goals have been established it’s data’s turn to fill in the gaps. Process mining software is extremely flexible in its approach to data and can mine almost any system and any data type. Whether process data lives within a standard ERP system, CRM suite or even a legacy system, it can be mined.
The key to successful data extraction is to have process owners who know process flows. Even if process discovery is the PoC goal, a subject matter expert should be involved from beginning to end in order to direct participants towards the established goal. Include IT experts early on in process mining discussions to ensure data can be located and accessed without unnecessary delay.
Read more: How to prepare data for a process mining project
3. Run process analysis with focus on methodology and power of product
This is where the preparatory work pays off and things start to move quickly. The process mining vendor whom you selected for a PoC will lead this stage. In addition to software speed and usability, focus on the power of dashboards. How robust are system dashboards? Do they meet or exceed given criteria? How impactful is the process visualization? How easy is it to navigate the tool?
Remember, this proof of concept should not only be a trial to prove process mining as a viable technique, but also a test of the tool itself. Ask questions, be involved in data analysis and gain a deep understanding of both the methodology and the tool.
4. Present PoC findings and end with project mandate
Wrap up the PoC with strong results and a mandate to move forward. Documentation of the entire PoC is important and should include a description of each preparatory stage, results, shortcomings, finding explanations and potentially an ROI calculation.
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Challenge the vendor to close strong with a presentation of findings. Utilize their expertise and outside perspective to document clear outcomes of the PoC and ways in which your business can move forward.
Start a process mining proof of concept with Minit.
We believe in the power of our product and stand accountable for its performance. Therefore, we are happy to guide potential clients through a proof of concept with Minit process mining. Get in touch with our team of process mining professionals to learn more.
