Have you ever attempted to solve a puzzle without all the pieces? That’s what old-school process mapping can be like. You meet with your team and lay out the intended way things should happen with a pretty little diagram. But reality can be very different from what’s been drawn on paper. That’s where process mining comes in—and turns everything around. It doesn’t eliminate process mapping. Rather, it makes it more robust. Like granting it superpowers.
Let’s break this down in the simplest terms.
What is Process Mapping?
Process mapping is a matter of creating a map of how work gets accomplished.
You observe a business process—let’s say, approving a loan or shipping a package. And then you map it out step by step.
Who does what?
In what sequence?
Where can things go awry?
You write it all down. Perhaps with flowcharts or diagrams. That makes it easy for people to see the process.
It’s excellent for training, streamlining workflows, or identifying weak areas.
But there is a catch.
It’s largely dependent on what people say or perceive that they are doing. Not necessarily what they are actually doing.
And this is where things start to go wrong.
Where Traditional Process Mapping Fails
Suppose you ask a team how they process customer complaints.
They explain something like:
- Complaint comes in
- It goes to customer care
- A support ticket is raised
- Someone solves it
- Customer gets a reply
Simple, right?
But in reality:
- Some complaints may be missed.
- Some may bounce between departments.
- Some might take too long.
- Others may be solved, but not updated in the system.
The process map looks clean. But the real process? Messy.
That’s why we need something more powerful.
Enter: Process Mining
Process mining is like X-ray vision for your business.
Process mining does not ask people how work gets done. Each and every system, from your CRM to your ERP to your ticketing tool, creates logs. These logs bear the real account of what came to pass, when it happened, and who did it.
Process mining takes all that data and builds the real process map for you.
No guesswork. Just facts.
Process Mapping vs. Process Mining
Let’s quickly compare both:
| Feature | Process Mapping | Process Mining |
| Based on | Human knowledge, interviews | Actual data from systems |
| Output | A designed process flow | A real-time, data-backed process flow |
| Accuracy | Depends on memory and perception | Very high—comes from real actions |
| Speed of analysis | Slower, manual | Fast, automated |
| Insights | Basic process steps | Hidden bottlenecks, rework, delays |
Process mining doesn’t just show you the process. It shows you how often steps are skipped. Where delays happen. Who causes them? How much does it cost? And more.
It’s like turning on the lights in a dark room.
How Process Mining Gives Superpowers to Mapping
Now comes the fun part—how it amplifies process mapping.
1. From Assumptions to Facts
Traditional maps are built from opinions. Process mining replaces them with real data.
So when someone says, “We always respond to emails within 24 hours,” process mining can say, “Actually, only 65% of emails are replied to in that time.”
That’s a game-changer.
2. Visualising the Real Process
Sometimes, there are 10 different paths to do the same task. Some are efficient. Others are not.
Process mining shows you every variation. You don’t need to guess anymore.
It’s all there—in visual dashboards and flows.
3. Spotting Hidden Problems
Let’s say your process map shows 5 steps. But process mining shows 8. Where did those extra 3 come from?
Maybe a team keeps sending files back and forth. Or approvals happen twice. These steps may be slowing things down—and costing you money.
Now you know where to fix them.
4. Tracking KPIs and Compliance
Need to track service-level agreements (SLAs)? Or check if teams are following rules?
With process mining, you can monitor KPIs in real time. You’ll see exactly when things go off track. You can even set alerts.
This makes process mining great for compliance-heavy industries like banking, healthcare, and insurance.
5. Continuous Improvement
Traditional process mapping is often a one-time job. You draw the map, and it’s done.
Process mining, however, is ongoing. It keeps watching your systems. So as processes change, your map updates too.
This helps you improve continuously.
Real-World Example: The Power Combo
Let’s say you’re managing a hospital.
You want to improve the patient admission process.
You start with process mapping—talk to staff, draw out the flow:
- Patient arrives
- Registration
- Payment
- Admission to room
Looks fine.
Now, you add process mining.
And what does it show?
- 22% of patients wait more than 30 minutes at registration
- Payment step is often repeated
- Some files are manually entered again in the admission system
You didn’t know all this before.
But now, you can fix it. Maybe by merging systems, training staff, or adding automation.
That’s the power of combining process mapping and process mining.
Why Every Business Should Care
Whether you’re in finance, retail, logistics, or healthcare—your business runs on processes.
And better processes mean:
- Faster service
- Lower costs
- Happier customers
- Happier employees
- Higher profits
But you can’t fix what you can’t see.
Process mapping shows you what you think is happening.
Process mining shows you what’s really happening.
Together, they help you build smarter, faster, and more reliable workflows.
Getting Started with Process Mining
You don’t need to be a tech genius to start. Here’s how:
- Pick a process—like order delivery or customer support.
- Choose a tool—there are many easy process mining tools today like Celonis, UiPath Process Mining, and more.
- Connect your data—pull logs from your CRM, ERP, or helpdesk system.
- Analyse—watch how your real process flows.
- Act—find bottlenecks and fix them.
Start small. Learn. Improve. Scale.
Final Thoughts
We live in a data-rich world. Yet, many businesses still run on guesses.
Process mapping is a great tool—but it needs backup.
Process mining gives it that backup. It turns your maps into living, breathing insights. It gives your team the superpowers of speed, clarity, and action.
So the next time you’re mapping a process, ask yourself:
Am I drawing a map from memory…
Or am I building it with real data?
With process mining, you no longer need to guess. You can know.
And that’s the first step toward better business.
