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Why Process Mining Became a Game-Changer for Digital Transformation in 2023

· 3 min read
Business team analyzing a process mining dashboard on screen

Process mining isn’t a new buzzword, but it certainly reached new heights in 2023 as organizations raced to uncover inefficiencies and empower their digital transformation projects. Faced with economic pressures and soaring expectations for automation, business leaders flocked to process mining platforms to get a clear, data-driven view of how work really happens across their organizations.

What Is Process Mining?​

Think of process mining as an X-ray for your company’s processes. It uses data from event logs in your existing systems (like ERP, CRM, or ticketing platforms) to reconstruct, visualize, and analyze actual workflows. The result: you see what’s really happening—not just what’s in the official process manual.

Key benefits include:

  • Uncovering hidden bottlenecks
  • Visualizing the real process flows
  • Identifying steps ripe for automation
  • Continuous process improvement with measurable KPIs

Why Did Process Mining Surge in 2023?​

The answer is multifaceted:

  • Remote and hybrid work models increased process complexity and visibility challenges.
  • C-suite pressure to accelerate digital transformation drove demand for data-backed roadmap and ROI justification.
  • AI-powered process mining tools became more accessible, incorporating machine learning to predict issues and suggest automations.
  • Vendors like Celonis, UiPath, and Software AG poured enormous innovation and marketing into this space, driving adoption across industries.

Real-World Examples: Mining Value Across Sectors​

  • Manufacturing: A European electronics maker used process mining to cut order-to-cash cycle times by 40%, identifying and removing redundant approval steps.
  • Banking: A major bank deployed process mining to optimize its mortgage process, spotting compliance risks and shaving weeks off processing times.
  • Healthcare: Hospitals mapped patient admission-to-discharge cycles, flagging delays and improving patient outcomes by automating routine tasks.

How Does Process Mining Work?​

At its core, process mining sits on top of your IT systems and extracts event data—timestamped records of key actions like order creation, status changes, or customer support tickets.

Modern platforms:

  • Connect to dozens of data sources with pre-built connectors
  • Use algorithms to map actual process variants
  • Provide dashboards and root-cause analysis
  • Highlight automation opportunities and compliance gaps

Challenges and Considerations​

While process mining is powerful, success depends on:

  • Data quality and access: Clean, unified logs are essential
  • Stakeholder engagement: Process changes must be embraced across teams
  • Change management: Insights must translate into action, not just dashboards

The Competitive Edge for Digital Transformation​

By 2023, it became clear that process mining isn't just an analytics tool—it's a competitive differentiator. When paired with automation initiatives (like RPA or workflow orchestration), the results are exponential.

The takeaway: If you’re serious about optimizing and scaling your digital transformation, process mining is the must-have lens to see where to start, measure progress, and unlock new value.

Curious how process mining could impact your organization? Explore leading platforms, or consult with a specialist to conduct a process mining readiness assessment.