A Classification of Process Mining Bottleneck Analysis Techniques for Operational Support

Abstract

A bottleneck usually is a sub-process in the main process which delays the process. The performance of a process can be increased by eliminating the bottlenecks. To this end, opportunities to analyze and mitigate bottlenecks by using process mining techniques can be an interesting direction to utilize. This paper aims to classify literature on process mining bottleneck analysis techniques and propose a model for operational support regarding bottleneck analysis utilizing process mining. To this end, we first propose a model for classifying bottleneck analysis techniques. Then, we conduct a systematic literature review to identify existing papers that address bottleneck analysis by utilizing process mining techniques. The results indicate that many researchers are focusing on detecting bottlenecks, while limited attention is paid to predicting bottlenecks or recommending actions on what to do with bottlenecks. The proposed classification model is validated through a demonstration, showing how process mining bottleneck analysis techniques can be applied to a logistics case study.