How can Theory of Constraints benefit from Process Mining, and conversely?

As Process Mining and other tech solutions boost - sometimes disrupt - Business Process Management, one may ask what will happen to classic approaches, methodologies and tools, for instance Theory of Constraints. How can Theory of Constraints benefit from Process Mining, and conversely? Here are some thoughts of mine on the subject. You may also …

Lean 4.0: What to look for when improving a digital process?

As more and more processes are digitized, Value Stream Managers, waste hunters and process improvers have to adapt their approach as many of their beloved methods and tools may not work anymore. Take the example of manufacturing a widget that is now 3D-printed and doesn’t need all the previous traditional manufacturing steps of metal cutting, …

Gemba walk: discover, standardize, comply

It’s a recurring question for a novice Gemba Walkers: what should I look for while touring the shop floor? Hints and checklists abound on the Net and I have proposed mine. But in the digital age, Process Mining may inspire the Gemba Walkers as long as the processes to walk are still physically existent. Go …

Process Mining Software can draw your spaghetti diagrams

One underrated tool in the Lean toolbox is the spaghetti diagram. Usually long and requiring painstaking efforts to draw, it may be shown only once, but the displayed Current Reality in the single picture is well worth the thousand words, and the investment to draw it. In the digital age, spaghetti diagrams now come almost …

Process Mining is no substitute for investigating the gemba

When I started to share my thoughts about Process Mining vs. Value Stream Mapping, I figured this would be a two-articles mini series. But some readers’ comments inspired me to clarify one important thing: Process Mining is no substitute for investigating the gemba. Missed previous articles? Check out Is Process Mining the VSM killer? and Stop mapping, …

Stop mapping, start improving

This post is part 2/2 of the series is Process Mining the VSM killer? With Process Mining on the rise, Value Stream Mapping (VSM) may live its last years as a Lean favorite tool. In part 1 of this two-part series, I stressed the limitations of VSM. Those were acceptable as long as no better …

Is Process Mining the VSM killer?

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) may live its last years as a Lean favorite tool, challenged by the rising Process Mining. If my hypothesis will prove true, Lean practitioners will have to adapt, either learning to use this data analytics tool or teaming with data scientists to exploit it. Now this is not necessarily bad news. …

What processes are suitable for RPA (Robotic Process Automation)?

The aim of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is to relieve the workforce from boring, repetitive and low value adding tasks, and reposition them on more interesting, varied and value adding jobs. Basic RPA lets software robots do the simple mundane tasks for humans, like uploading files, typing or copy-paste information from here to there, check …

What is Process Mining?

Data mining, process mining, in the digital transformation craze those are words often read and heard, but what exactly is Process Mining? Processes, data, IT and digital footprints Let’s clarify what we mean by ‘processes’. A process is a structured way to achieve something, a sequential series of actions, steps or transformations. Transforming a purchase …

Lean 4.0: where will you Gemba Walk when most of the processes will be digitized?

Here is a prospective thought of mine. Gemba Walks are a one of Lean’s tenet and any practitioner is urged to go around the Gemba and see for him/herself in order to learn, understand and eventually improve processes. But where will we Gemba Walk when most of the processes will be digitized? How to observe …