Workflow mining: discovering process models from event logs

Contemporary workflow management systems are driven by explicit process models, i.e., a completely specified workflow design is required in order to enact a given workflow process. Creating a workflow design is a complicated time-consuming process and, typically, there are discrepancies between the actual workflow processes and the processes as perceived by the management. Therefore, we have developed techniques for discovering workflow models. The starting point for such techniques is a so-called “workflow log” containing information about the workflow process as it is actually being executed. We present a new algorithm to extract a process model from such a log and represent it in terms of a Petri net. However, we also demonstrate that it is not possible to discover arbitrary workflow processes. We explore a class of workflow processes that can be discovered. We show that the /spl alpha/-algorithm can successfully mine any workflow represented by a so-called SWF-net.

Chapter one

Introduction

Background of the study

Statement of the problem

Purpose of the study

Significance of the study

Limitation of the study

Chapter two

Review of literature

Chapter three

Research design and methodology

Sources of data

Location of data

Method of investigation

Chapter four

Findings

Chapter five

Recommendation and conclusion

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION