Object-Centric Process Mining from edX

This course covers state-of-the-art object-centric process mining methods and tools to enable participants to get a comprehensive understanding of the capabilities and use cases for object-centric process mining. The content covers how process mining can be used to understand a process, check its correctness, and apply machine learning methods to improve all types of processes.

Traditional process mining is often limited to analyzing processes centered on a single case identifier. Object-Centric Process Mining (OCPM) supports the analysis of processes involving multiple interacting objects (e.g., customers, orders, products, invoices) within a single model. As a result, data need to be extracted only once, distortions are avoided, and performance problems involving multiple processes or organizational units can be identified.

First, sources of event data are discussed. With the rise of digitalization, more and more events of every process are tracked digitally. Object-centric event logs store this data, which enables the computation of various process insights. After covering the most important process modeling notations (including state-of-the-art object-centric process model notations), process discovery approaches are presented. They can automatically learn a process model from event data. Then, the course describes conformance-checking methods that can identify behavioral differences between the desired process and the behavior observed in reality. The course also covers approaches and tools to analyze the performance and organizational structure of processes. Finally, the connection between process mining and machine learning is discussed, by describing how process mining can identify relevant problems in processes and transform them into machine learning problems.

Throughout the course, the concepts explained in the videos are accompanied by hands-on quizzes and optional coding and tool practices. These practical experiences foster a better understanding of algorithms and provide a guided introduction to state-of-the-art process mining tools.

After taking the course, students should have a great understanding of the different process mining techniques and should be comfortable applying them to object-centric event data to improve their processes.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Object-centric processes
Process models: describe traditional and object-centric processes
Process discovery: understanding processes from real event data

Conformance checking: detect deviations from desired behavior
Link to ml: find valuable machine learning problems in your process

Object-centric processes
Process models: describe traditional and object-centric processes
Process discovery: understanding processes from real event data
Conformance checking: detect deviations from desired behavior
Link to ml: find valuable machine learning problems in your process

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to Process Mining

In the first week of the course, we will give an overview of process mining and explain why an object-centric perspective on processes can improve process insight. We describe sources of event data and how to extract that type of data. Also, we introduce concepts like flattening (focusing on one process participant), which are commonly used throughout the course.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores object-centric process mining, which enables the analysis of processes involving multiple interacting objects, such as customers, orders, and invoices, providing a holistic view of complex systems

Covers conformance checking methods, which can identify behavioral differences between the desired process and the behavior observed in reality, enabling organizations to improve compliance and efficiency

Discusses the connection between process mining and machine learning, describing how process mining can identify relevant problems in processes and transform them into machine learning problems, fostering innovation

Presents process discovery approaches that can automatically learn a process model from event data, which is essential for understanding and optimizing business operations

Includes hands-on quizzes and optional coding and tool practices, fostering a better understanding of algorithms and providing a guided introduction to state-of-the-art process mining tools

Requires familiarity with concepts like flattening, which are commonly used throughout the course, so learners may need to familiarize themselves with these concepts beforehand

Reviews summary

Comprehensive object-centric process mining overview

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation and comprehensive overview of object-centric process mining. Many appreciate the blend of theoretical concepts and practical application, particularly the use of tools like PM4Py and Celonis. The lectures are generally clear and well-structured, explaining complex topics effectively. While some found specific sections challenging or desired more in-depth technical detail, the course is widely regarded as a highly valuable resource for understanding this evolving field.

Helpful connection to machine learning.

"The final week connecting process mining to machine learning was very insightful."

"Understanding how to leverage process insights for ML problems was a unique strength."

"Found the session on using situation tables for ML particularly useful."

"This course provided a clear path for using OCPM results to inform ML initiatives."

Introduces and utilizes key OCPM tools.

"Excellent introduction to using PM4Py and other relevant software for OCPM tasks."

"The practical sessions using Celonis were particularly insightful for real-world application."

"I liked that they included hands-on examples with commonly used process mining tools."

"Understanding how to use PM4Py for OCPM analysis was a major takeaway."

Complex concepts are explained well.

"The explanations of complex topics like Petri Nets and alignments were very clear."

"Lectures are well-structured and easy to follow, even for advanced topics."

"Instructor explains the concepts concisely and provides good examples."

"I could follow the lectures easily, even when the topic was completely new to me."

Combines theoretical depth with practical tools.

"The course nicely balances theoretical background with practical applications using tools."

"Appreciated the mix of algorithmic explanations and hands-on exercises with PM4Py."

"I found the combination of theoretical concepts explained in lectures and practical tool exercises very effective..."

"Good mix of theory and practical examples, especially the labs."

Provides a strong base in OCPM concepts.

"This course has provided me with a strong foundational knowledge in object-centric process mining."

"I now have a much clearer understanding of object-centric event logs and process discovery methods..."

"Really helped solidify my understanding of the core principles and advantages of OCPM."

"Provides a solid theoretical and practical foundation for understanding object-centric process mining."

Some parts slower, others dense and fast.

"Certain modules moved very quickly through complex algorithms, requiring extra effort."

"The pace felt a bit inconsistent; some weeks were basic, others were quite advanced."

"Could use more in-depth coverage on implementation details or specific algorithm optimizations."

"I wish some of the more technical aspects had been broken down further."

Assumes prior background in traditional PM.

"While labeled as introduction, some sections assume prior knowledge of traditional process mining."

"A basic understanding of case-centric process mining is highly recommended to follow smoothly."

"It would be beneficial if the course clarified prerequisites more explicitly."

"I struggled slightly in later weeks without a solid background in standard process mining techniques."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Object-Centric Process Mining with these activities:

Review Relational Databases

Show steps

Reviewing relational database concepts will help you understand how event data is structured and extracted for process mining.

Browse courses on Relational Databases

Show steps

Review basic SQL syntax and query construction.
Practice writing SQL queries to extract event data from sample databases.

Read 'Process Mining: Data Science in Action'

Show steps

Reading this book will provide a solid foundation in process mining concepts and techniques.

View Process Mining Handbook (Lecture Notes in... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the introductory chapters to understand the basics of process mining.
Focus on chapters related to process discovery and conformance checking.
Review case studies to see how process mining is applied in real-world scenarios.

Implement Process Discovery Algorithms

Show steps

Implementing process discovery algorithms will solidify your understanding of how these algorithms work and their limitations.

Show steps

Choose a process discovery algorithm (e.g., Alpha Miner, Heuristic Miner).
Implement the algorithm in a programming language like Python.
Test the implementation on sample event logs.
Compare the results with existing process mining tools.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Read 'Fundamentals of Business Process Management'

Show steps

Reading this book will provide a broader understanding of the context in which process mining is used.

View Fundamentals of Business Process Management on Amazon

Show steps

Read the chapters on process modeling and analysis.
Focus on the sections that discuss process improvement methodologies.
Relate the concepts to the process mining techniques learned in the course.

Build a Process Mining Dashboard

Show steps

Creating a process mining dashboard will allow you to visualize process insights and communicate them effectively.

Show steps

Choose a dashboarding tool (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
Connect the tool to an event log.
Create visualizations to show process performance, bottlenecks, and deviations.
Design the dashboard for easy interpretation and navigation.

Analyze a Real-World Event Log

Show steps

Analyzing a real-world event log will provide practical experience in applying process mining techniques to solve real-world problems.

Show steps

Obtain a real-world event log from a public dataset or an organization.
Clean and preprocess the event log.
Apply process discovery and conformance checking techniques.
Identify process bottlenecks and deviations.
Propose recommendations for process improvement.

Write a Blog Post on Object-Centric Process Mining

Show steps

Writing a blog post will help you consolidate your knowledge and share it with others.

Show steps

Choose a specific aspect of object-centric process mining to focus on.
Research the topic and gather relevant information.
Write a clear and concise blog post explaining the concept.
Include examples and visualizations to illustrate the key points.

Career center

Learners who complete Object-Centric Process Mining will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Process Mining Consultant

A process mining consultant helps organizations use process mining to analyze and improve their business processes. This course provides the core knowledge and methods that a process mining consultant would use when helping clients. The course covers object-centric process mining, which is essential for the consultant to understand processes involving multiple interacting objects. Process discovery and conformance checking methods, taught in this course, are also very relevant to identifying bottlenecks and deviations. The course’s coverage of tools and techniques will help the consultant make data-driven decisions and recommendations to clients to improve business process efficiency. The connection to machine learning also provides the consultant with knowledge to identify novel solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Process Mining Consultant

Business Process Analyst

A business process analyst studies and improves organizational workflows, making this career highly relevant to this course. By understanding how to analyze event data and model processes, a business process analyst can identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and deviations from desired behavior, exactly as taught in this course. The course's emphasis on object-centric process mining, which allows for the analysis of multiple interacting entities, is invaluable for a business process analyst who needs to understand how different parts of an organization work together. This course’s coverage of conformance checking helps a process analyst see how the real process differs from the way it was intended. The skills learned will be used when recommending changes and improvements to a company's workflow.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Process Analyst

Process Improvement Specialist

A process improvement specialist systematically analyzes and enhances existing processes. This course has strong relevance as it teaches how to understand, analyze, and improve processes using data-driven methods. The specialist uses methods to uncover where processes are not functioning optimally, using tools and techniques very similar to those this course introduces, such as process discovery algorithms and conformance checking. Object-centric analysis is very helpful to a process improvement specialist seeking to understand how different aspects of a business interact. This course directly prepares someone to apply these tools and make data-driven decisions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of various business processes. The link between process mining and machine learning covered in this course can also help a specialist identify potential solutions to inefficiencies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Process Improvement Specialist

Data Analyst

A data analyst is responsible for interpreting complex datasets to provide actionable insights, a skillset that aligns with this course. The course covers the extraction, analysis, and interpretation of event data, which is essential for a data analyst. This course teaches the use of process mining techniques to uncover behavioral patterns, identify deviations, and analyze performance in business processes. The course specifically prepares a data analyst to analyze event data, construct models, and ultimately provide data-driven process improvements. This course, which explores process discovery, conformance checking, and the connection to machine learning, makes the work of a data analyst working with process-related data more effective.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Operations Analyst

An operations analyst seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a company's operations, and this course is quite useful preparation. The course focuses on analyzing and understanding processes using data, which is a fundamental task for an operations analyst. The course’s object-centric approach is beneficial because it allows an operations analyst to understand how different parts of a business interact within a single process model. The course's teaching of process discovery and conformance checking enables an operations analyst to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and deviations from the intended operational flows. The connection between process mining and machine learning, found in this course, allows for informed decision making for process improvement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Analyst

Management Consultant

A management consultant advises organizations on improving their effectiveness, an area this course helps support. Management consultants must analyze complex business processes and identify areas for improvement, just like the subject of this course. The course teaches essential process mining skills, including methods for process discovery, conformance checking, and performance analysis. This course provides methods to understand how different parts of a business interact and allows the consultant to make data-driven recommendations to improve workflows, enhance efficiency, and reduce operational costs for their clients. The link between process mining and machine learning, a key component of this course, will help when they search for new solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Supply Chain Analyst

A supply chain analyst optimizes the processes involved in the production and delivery of goods, which is related to the topic of this course. This course helps to understand and improve processes, which is vital to a supply chain analyst seeking to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The use of object-centric process mining, as taught in this course, enables a supply chain analyst to understand how all parts of a supply chain interact. The process discovery and conformance checking methods, covered in this course, allow the analyst to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and deviations from the intended processes. The course also outlines how process mining relates to machine learning, which the analyst will use to find new approaches to improving supply chains.

See salaries and explore the career path for Supply Chain Analyst

Business Intelligence Analyst

A business intelligence analyst transforms data into actionable insights to support business decision-making, which is a use case related to the content of this course. This course’s focus on process mining techniques, especially its object-centric approach, allows for comprehensive analysis of complex processes. A business intelligence analyst will be able to use the tools discussed in this course to identify patterns, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement that are directly relevant to business operations. Conformance checking, a specific element of this course, helps a business intelligence analyst understand where actual process performance deviates from the desired results. The application of machine learning to process problems, provided in this course, helps the analyst provide new solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Intelligence Analyst

Process Engineer

A process engineer designs, implements, and optimizes industrial processes, and this course provides some useful fundamentals. This course focuses on the analysis of event data to understand and improve complex processes. A process engineer can apply these methods to identify and eliminate inefficiencies in complex workflows. The object-centric approach of this course is beneficial because it helps a process engineer understand how different parts of an industrial process interact. The process discovery and conformance checking methods taught will enable a process engineer to evaluate and improve the performance of complex industrial processes, and the link between process mining and machine learning can help find new ways of optimizing processes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Process Engineer

Systems Analyst

A systems analyst evaluates and improves the information systems used by an organization, making this course potentially helpful. The course details how process mining can be used to understand, check, and improve processes, which is directly applicable to the work of a systems analyst. The object-centric approach of the course offers a lens for understanding information flow and system interactions. The course’s coverage of process discovery and conformance checking can be used when recommending system modifications and improvements. The material in this course can help a systems analyst effectively optimize the processes supported by information systems, and this can be useful in identifying how systems may be improved.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

Quality Assurance Analyst

A quality assurance analyst monitors and improves the quality of products and processes. This course may prove helpful to such an analyst because the course focuses on data-driven methods to improve processes, which can be used to verify product quality. The object-centric approach, taught in this course, offers a means to understand how different parts of a process impact the end product. The skills of the quality assurance analyst can be improved through methods of process discovery and conformance checking. This course may help a quality assurance analyst ensure that processes are functioning as intended and deviations are detected and resolved.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

IT Consultant

An information technology consultant advises organizations on optimizing their technology systems and performance, which is related to the topic of this course. This course provides tools and methods to analyze and improve processes, which are relevant to an IT consultant. The object-centric perspective presented in the course enables an IT consultant to understand how different IT systems interact within an organization. Process discovery and conformance checking methods can be used when an IT consultant seeks to improve business processes supported by information technology. The links this course provides between process mining and machine learning can give the consultant an advantage for identifying new solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Consultant

Data Scientist

A data scientist uses statistical methods and machine learning to extract knowledge from data. This course teaches how to use process mining to understand real-world processes and to transform process problems into machine learning problems. A data scientist, whose work benefits from a solid understanding of process analysis techniques, should find that this course provides an approach to analyzing process-related data that is new. The course's discussion of process discovery, conformance checking, and the connection between process mining and machine learning is directly applicable to data science. The ability to turn a process problem into a machine learning problem, as discussed in the course, is highly relevant to a data scientist. This course may be useful to those in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Project Manager

A project manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects, which can be made more efficient using the methods from this course. The focus on process analysis and improvement through the lens of object-centricity makes this course useful for a project manager seeking better control over resources and improving project workflows. The process discovery and conformance checking methods described in the course allow project managers to ensure projects are on track. The ways in which process mining and machine learning interact, found in this course, can provide new paths to improved project management. This course may help a project manager to optimize project execution and minimize unexpected deviations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Research Scientist

A research scientist may be interested in the methods explored in this course. This course covers state-of-the-art methods for process analysis, which can be used to design and analyze experiments. The object-centric approach to process models, the process discovery methods, and conformance checking techniques presented here may prove beneficial to a research scientist. Also, the course explores how process mining can be linked to machine learning, which is another approach to analyzing data. This course can help a research scientist better model the processes that underly their experiments and interpret data to draw new insights and conclusions. This course may be useful to someone in this field often in the pursuit of understanding complex processes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist

Object-Centric Process Mining

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Comprehensive object-centric process mining overview

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses