Why digital transformation success requires more than band-aid process solutions

Digital transformation requires more than just temporary fixes for process issues. In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, relying solely on band-aid solutions for broken processes is an unsustainable strategy for steering successful digital transformation. While automation can effectively resolve some process glitches and deliver quick wins, it should not be the sole strategy for your organization's digital transformation journey.

Instead, an integrated approach that leverages process mining and other essential tools can provide fact-based insights and enable a holistic transformation. This blog post explores why process mining alone is not sufficient and outlines an integrated approach for process mining-led digital transformation.

Use process mining to identify inefficiencies

Applications like process mining and task mining offer invaluable insights into a business' operating model, helping users to identify process bottlenecks, waste, defects and misalignments that lead to high process costs and poor customer satisfaction. While process mining is an essential component of digital transformation projects, it is crucial to recognize that it represents only one side of the coin. To have a coin to pay with, it must show heads and tails alike.

The limitations of process mining

Some process mining marketing slogans claim that automating actions on process inefficiencies is the key to successful process execution management and transformation. While automating such actions can be promising, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution for every process glitch. Automating a flawed process without addressing underlying issues can worsen problems, particularly when human involvement is overlooked. Blindly automating bad processes can amplify existing issues, making band-aid solutions counterproductive.

"Automating a bad process can make things worse as it can magnify or exacerbate underlying issues, especially if humans are taken out of the loop." - Maria Korolov for CIO magazine

Analogously, think of your company's transformational journey as a toddler's development. Band-aids and tissues play a vital role during the learning process, such as when a child is learning to walk. The ultimate goal, however, is to outgrow them. Similarly, band-aid solutions may be necessary during your transformation but should not be the long-term objective.

Read the reasearch to understand your process mining options: Gartner® Critical Capabilities for Process Mining Tools. 

Integrated process mining-led transformations

To achieve a successful digital transformation, following an integrated approach that incorporates process mining is crucial. Here are the key steps:

1.      Generate process mining-based insights:

Start by utilizing process mining to generate valuable insights into existing processes. Data-driven analysis helps to identify improvement opportunities and prioritize areas for optimization.

2.      Plan your future way of working:

Based on the insights gained, develop a structured design for the envisioned organization and process model. Scenario planning and process simulations enable informed decision-making and prioritization of robust transformation plans.

3.      Implement change: empower, automate & execute:

Translate well-crafted plans into action by implementing a combination of automation and fundamental changes to the IT infrastructure. Remember to emphasize the human element in any transformative change, empowering and engaging employees, keeping them informed and guiding them through the journey of transformation.

4.      Ensure transparent results and compliance:

To ensure the success of transformational endeavors, establish transparency in results and implement robust compliance management practices.