Workflow mining: a survey of issues and approaches

  • Authors:

  • W. M. P. van der Aalst;B. F. van Dongen;J. Herbst;L. Maruster;G. Schimm;A. J. M. M. Weijters

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Technology Management, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, NL-5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands;Department of Technology Management, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, NL-5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands;DaimlerChrysler AG, Research and Technology, P.O. Box 2360, D-89013 Ulm, Germany;Department of Technology Management, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, NL-5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands;OFFIS, Escherweg 2, D-26121 Oldenburg, Germany;Department of Technology Management, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, NL-5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

  • Venue:
  • Data & Knowledge Engineering
  • Year:
  • 2003

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Abstract

Many of today's information systems are driven by explicit process models. Workflow management systems, but also ERP, CRM, SCM, and B2B, are configured on the basis of a workflow model specifying the order in which tasks need to be executed. Creating a workflow design is a complicated time-consuming process and typically there are discrepancies between the actual workflow processes and the processes as perceived by the management. To support the design of workflows, we propose the use of workflow mining. Starting point for workflow mining is a so-called "workflow log" containing information about the workflow process as it is actually being executed. In this paper, we introduce the concept of workflow mining and present a common format for workflow logs. Then we discuss the most challenging problems and present some of the workflow mining approaches available today.