Choose a decision before a dashboard
Start with a question such as where purchase requests wait or which cases return for rework. Name the process owner who can act on the answer and define the population and time window.
Identify the minimum event record
A typical event log needs a case identifier, an activity and a timestamp. Agree what starts and ends a case. Confirm that identifiers remain consistent across systems and that timestamps have a known time zone.
Check data quality
Look for missing events, duplicate records and impossible event ordering. Understand whether an event represents a real business action or a technical update. Keep a documented list of exclusions and their effect on the analysis.
Separate intent from execution
An approved process map expresses the expected path. A discovered model represents observed behavior in the chosen data. Investigate a difference with the process owner before labeling it a compliance failure.
Find the instances behind the pattern
Inspect representative cases at a long wait or repeated step. Check business context, exception rules and the quality of the underlying record. Average duration alone may hide very different case types.
Measure the change
Record the baseline definition before making an improvement. Compare similar populations over a meaningful period, then review unexpected results. Use the findings to inform the next controlled change to the process.
