How to build process mining capabilities, scale across functions and embed process mining into your culture

Overview of scale phase within wider framework

After having presented the key elements of the focus and act phase in previous articles, this blog focuses on the scale phase as the final process mining lifecycle stage. The article highlights how to maximise the benefits of process mining for your organisation by deploying the developed capabilities at scale and by anchoring process mining into your company’s culture and DNA.

The fifth process mining article completes the deep dive into the three main phases of process mining by outlining and describing the scale phase of the process mining framework. During the focus phase your company gained the initial data-driven insights. These helped to inform and identify improvement initiatives across multiple focus areas which were prioritised and ultimately implemented in the subsequent act phase. To round off the main phases of the process mining framework, the scale phase should be used to establish and leverage the process mining capabilities within your organisation and integrate process mining in your company’s culture and new ways of working. This should ideally be combined with a larger, enterprise-wide operational excellence or transformation programme.

Aim and key activities of the scale phase

The ultimate goal is to embed process mining into your organisation’s culture. Before doing so, it is important to focus on two steps. First, your organisation should develop best practices from pilot projects to derive the lessons learned and create a framework for diagnosis, project prioritisation and process improvement that facilitates an implementation approach and roadmap. Second, as a prerequisite to successfully using and scaling process mining in the future, your organisation needs to build sufficient technical and functional expertise by investing time and resources in setting up a Process Mining Centre of Excellence, training your employees, and gaining useful insights by analysing processes. The Process Mining Centre of Excellence should help to fulfil your company’s vision and mission by driving all process improvement initiatives. In addition, a senior sponsor who actively supports the scaling of process mining within the organisation is required. After these two upstream steps have been completed, your organisation can scale process mining across functions and regions and establish it in your company’s culture as a new way of working.

Scaling requires both left- and right-side brain capabilities

The organisation needs to be sure to enable both sides of its brain to successfully expand and embed process mining. The IT-related left side of the brain, in charge of the technical process-mining capabilities and the business-driven right side of the brain, focused on the process perspective, should collaborate and ensure constant and fruitful sharing of capabilities. The left side of the brain identifies and extracts process-relevant data and determines useful process supporting systems, with the goal of driving process insights and transparency. The right side of the brain should use these insights to design and implement process improvements. This leads to cost savings and the achievement of greater value.

Design options for scaling

When scaling process mining, your organisation has several design options that should be considered. To create the best possible conditions, it is fundamental to analyse and agree on whether a centralised, hybrid or decentralised way of working will be most beneficial for your company, and on the appropriate organisational structure, resources, budget, and operating model. Generally, it is advisable to start with small steps at the beginning and pick up pace as you progress. Your organisation should invest a relatively high level of dedicated resources at the start of the scaling. During the roll-out of process mining within the company, these dedicated resources can either be reduced or replaced by non-dedicated resources.

A sufficient level of governance is also required. It is crucial to regularly sync and align with the steering committee at the start of the scale phase, in order to involve senior stakeholders. But our experience shows that these sync sessions can be cut back once the ball has started rolling.

Why was the project initiated?

Insurance is an experience-based industry, with claims management occupying a unique position in the insurance customer value proposition. It is the moment of truth, the key interaction where customers can be transformed into supporters. However, very complex and opaque processes often make for an inadequate customer experience and inefficiencies.

What was the objective of the project?

To tackle these challenges together with our clients, Deloitte supported multiple insurers in implementing process mining initiatives focused on high volume claims processes: specifically, claims for motor own damage (MOD) as well as motor third party liability (MTPL), daily sickness benefit insurance, and accident insurance. The objective was to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks and governance issues and enable continuous visualisation and monitoring of business processes to drive improvement towards a transparent, customer-centric and efficient process.

How was the project approached?

Deloitte supported the client with the identification of KPIs, the design and implementation of respective claims data models on a process mining platform and integration with live data connections. In addition, dedicated dashboards were developed to enable real-time processing, visualisation, and analysis. Deloitte also trained the insurers in ways to use process mining for value generation and continuous improvement. We worked closely with the business departments to derive insights and relevant improvement opportunities with a “Tell, Show, Do” approach.

A strategy and operating model were also developed to scale process mining across the entire organisation with a Centre of Excellence, including dedicated satellites in the Business Units.

Impact that matters

Process mining gave the client the visibility and transparency needed to act on data-based insights and take targeted action to improve the performance of their claims processes.