Collect the minimum event log
Each case needs an identifier, event type, time and actor or system. This is enough to reconstruct main paths and duration.
Identifier quality often matters more than attribute volume.
Find the causes of variation
The longest route is not always the most frequent. Separate legitimate exceptions, data errors and rework.
- Waiting between steps
- Returns for correction
- Manual workarounds
- Role-based bottlenecks
Choose automation boundaries
Apply AI to stable information steps while people handle complex exceptions. The process map helps predict where workload will move.
Automation then improves the full cycle rather than one local task.