Implementation Guide

How to Choose a Process Mining Implementation Partner

To choose a process mining implementation partner, clearly define your business problems and desired outcomes first. Assess candidates on domain expertise, platform independence, data extraction capabilities, engagement models, and cultural fit. This structured selection process ensures your partner aligns with your strategy and delivers measurable operational improvements.

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88%of business transformations fail to achieve their original ambitionsBain & Company, April 2024
$871.6Mworldwide process mining software market in 2023, up 39.5%Gartner market share analysis, July 2024
46%of surveyed large manufacturers rank process automation a first or second investment priorityDeloitte 2025 Smart Manufacturing Survey (600 executives)

Define Business Goals

Before engaging with any potential partner, you must have a precise understanding of what you aim to achieve with process mining. Without clear objectives, even the most capable partner will struggle to deliver targeted value. This initial step prevents scope creep and ensures all efforts align with your strategic priorities.

To establish a solid foundation, take the following steps:

1
Identify specific business problemsAre you looking to reduce order-to-cash cycle times, improve supply chain efficiency, or minimise compliance risks? Pinpoint the critical pain points that process mining should address.
2
Articulate desired outcomesQuantify what success looks like. For example, aim to reduce invoice processing time by 20% or identify and eliminate 15% of process rework.
3
Review your current IT systemsUnderstand your existing enterprise systems (ERP, CRM, and operational databases) and determine where event log data resides. This helps when assessing a partner’s integration capabilities later.

A partner’s focus on your business goals and outcomes is a critical success factor. This clarity allows them to tailor their approach and translate raw process insights into specific, actionable recommendations for operational improvement.

Assess Partner Experience

Experience makes a significant difference in process mining implementations. A partner with a proven track record understands common pitfalls and can guide your initiative more effectively, leading to a smoother and quicker road to success.

When evaluating potential partners, ensure you take these actions:

1
Look for demonstrable experienceInquire about their history of successful process mining deployments, particularly in your industry, such as manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, or logistics, or with similar operational challenges. Always ask for case studies or client references.
2
Verify their expertiseAssess the depth and breadth of their process mining knowledge, including industry practices, underlying concepts, algorithms, and implementation methodologies.
3
Consider regional understandingFor mid-market firms in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, or UAE, a partner with local market awareness can better handle specific regulations and regional business contexts.

Overlooking a partner’s track record in favour of flashy technology or an overconfident timeline can lead to deployments that go awry. Gartner puts the worldwide process mining software market at $871.6M in 2023, up 39.5% on 2022.

Data and Technology Approach

Process mining relies heavily on the quality and availability of data from your IT systems. A partner’s proficiency in handling data and their technology capabilities are essential for accurate analysis and meaningful results.

Key steps in evaluating technical proficiency include:

1
Inquire about data strategyDiscuss their methods for data extraction, cleaning, and integration from disparate sources like ERP, CRM, and other operational platforms. Poor data quality is a primary reason process mining projects fail.
2
Assess technology independenceIdeally, a partner should be platform-independent, capable of implementing a range of process mining solutions rather than being locked into one specific platform. This ensures they recommend the best tool for your needs, whether it is Celonis, SAP Signavio, ARIS, Apromore, or UiPath, rather than a force-fit solution.
3
Discuss integration capabilitiesAn effective implementation requires reliable integration with your existing systems to deliver quick and smooth connectivity with minimal disruption.

Incomplete, inconsistent, or fragmented data can lead to inaccurate results. Overcoming this requires prior data cleanup and integration. For more on the practicalities of getting your data ready, consider reviewing resources on the process mining implementation timeline.

Engagement and Support Model

The structure of your partnership will directly influence the project’s success and the sustained value you derive from process mining. A clear engagement model builds transparency and manages expectations across all stakeholders.

Consider the following aspects during your evaluation:

1
Clarify project methodology and timelinesUnderstand how they approach projects from discovery to implementation and ongoing support. Ask about typical timelines for seeing initial results.
2
Discuss team structure and knowledge transferWho will be on your project team? How will knowledge be transferred to your internal staff to ensure long-term self-sufficiency?
3
Evaluate post-implementation supportWhat kind of ongoing assistance do they offer? This includes troubleshooting, maintenance, and further process optimisation. Look for flexible options like 24/7 hotlines or remote expert assistance.

A well-defined engagement model, including clear responsibilities across business and IT, is essential for realising the full value of process mining. Partners should value listening to your individual needs to provide effective, tailored solutions.

Cultural Fit and Communication

A successful process mining initiative often involves organisational change. A partner who understands your company culture and communicates effectively can help handle these changes and build internal buy-in across teams.

To evaluate cultural fit and alignment, focus on these criteria:

1
Assess communicationDuring initial interactions, observe their communication style. Are they clear, responsive, and do they listen to your concerns? Effective communication helps in aligning expectations and gaining stakeholder support.
2
Evaluate cultural alignmentConsider if their working style aligns with your organisation’s. A good fit builds collaboration and trust, which are key when revealing process inefficiencies that might trigger defensive mechanisms.
3
Look for a value-driven approachA partner should focus on the value process mining will bring to your organisation, taking the time to understand your objectives and working closely with stakeholders.

The success of any technology project depends on the right implementation strategies, commitment, and vision of the organisation. A partner who aligns with your vision and builds a collaborative environment can significantly improve outcomes.

What your data will really look like

Naive assumptions about data compared with the reality for process mining
Aspect of DataNaive AssumptionReality for Process Mining
Data QualityData from systems is clean and ready.Most enterprise data can be incomplete, inaccurate, or have confusing timelines, requiring significant preparation.
Data AvailabilityAll necessary event logs are easily accessible.Event log data may be unavailable or unreliable across systems, especially if not using a unified ERP.
IntegrationConnecting systems is straightforward.Combining data from multiple sources requires substantial effort to maintain quality and consistency.

Related reading

For the wider consulting decision, see our practical checklist for choosing a BPM consulting partner.

Sources: Bain & Company, 88% of business transformations fail to achieve their original ambitions (15 April 2024); Gartner, process mining market share analysis for 2023 (31 July 2024); Deloitte, 2025 Smart Manufacturing and Operations Survey (600 executives from large manufacturers with US headquarters or operations, surveyed August to September 2024).

Test a partner against your own process

The fastest check on any partner is a short scoped look at your own event data. We start there, platform-independent.

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