models vs. reality

Models vs. Reality

dr.ir. B.F. van DongenAssistant ProfessorEindhoven University of Technologyb.f.v.dongen@tue.nl

Process Mining

• Discovering processes• How do people behave?

• Compliance oriented• Where and why do people

deviate from standards / rules / regulations?

• Performance oriented• Where are bottlenecks

in my processes?

Aligning models to Observed Behavior

• Starting point for conformance checking is a process model and a log

What is the most likely execution of the model, corresponding to a trace observed in the log?

Introduction: Alignments

• Alignments are used for conformance checking

• Alignments are computed over a trace and a model:− A trace is a (partial) order of activities− A model is a labeled Petri labeled with activities

• An alignment explains exactly where deviations occur:− A synchronous move mean that an activity is in the log and a corresponding

transition was enabled in the model− A log move means that no corresponding activity is found in the model− A model move means that no corresponding activity appeared in the log

Example

model:

ABDE

……

log

Logged “A” aligns nicely to model

model:

ABDE

……

log

AA

Logged “B” aligns nicely to model

model:

ABDE

……

log

AA

BB

Logged “D” does not fit the model

model:

ABDE

……

log

AA

BB D

“C” was probably executed, but was not logged

model:

ABDE

……

log

AA

BB D

C

Logged “E” aligns nicely to model

model:

ABDE

……

log

AA

BB D

C E

E

Alignment shows where deviations occurred

model:

ABDE

……

log

AA

BB D

C E

E

Alignment:The best way to fit

the trace in the model

Alignments

• Alignments specify exactly where deviations occurred when comparing logs to models

• Alignments can be used for:• Fitness/precision computations• Performance analysis• Model repair• ...• Compliance analysis

Use of alignment techniques in compliance

13

elicit compliance rules

formalize compliance rules

compliance checking and analysis

implement compliance measures

compliance improvement ?

Automated compliance checking

business process

compliance requirement

diagnostic information

compliance

specificationcompliance checker

Automated compliance checking

business process

compliance requirement

diagnostic information

compliance checker

Log

compliance Petri net pattern

alignmentA B

F

F

B

Ƭ

Specifying Compliance Rules

compliance specifier

compliance checker

rule repositoryWhich compliance

pattern?

precise Petri net pattern

How to prune the Petri net pattern?

Log

Elicit Compliance RuleProM6 (www.promtools.org/prom6)

X-rayPatient registration othersPatient

registrationX-RayPatient registration

Compliance Checking Using Conformance Checking

Implementation

Conclusions

• Alignments provide a powerful method to explain where operational processes deviated from models

• Using the right models, alignments can detect (and predict) possible violations of compliance rules

• Alignments provide guarantees on non-deviating cases

Future directions

Current challenges:

1. Representation and extraction of multi-dimensional event data for deviation detection

2. Representation and management of deviations

3. Detection and diagnosis of deviations

4. Online, real time deviation prediction

5. Integration of prototypes applicable to high-volume data

6. Application on real-life cases

Questions

?