On the Origin of Questions in Process Mining Projects

Abstract

In line with the growing popularity of process mining, several methodologies have been proposed to guide the conduct of process mining projects. Such methodologies reason that process mining projects start with a concrete question. However, in practice we observe projects with a different starting point, often aimed at exploring the data. Existing methodologies provide limited aid in such situations, and as a result, we wonder: how are questions developed within process mining projects? In this paper, we present the results of an interview study that sheds light on question development in process mining. We provide insights from expert interviewees, resulting in six recommendations that enhance existing methodologies. In doing so, we present concrete examples of how process mining analyses can support question formulation and refinement.