Workarounds, Real-World Processes & Renovation Lessons – BPM Gets Personal with Iris Beerepoot

Top 5 Takeaways from the Episode:

1. Workarounds Reveal the Real Process

Iris’s research shows that deviations from standard procedures—like nurses jotting notes on paper instead of using digital systems—aren’t mistakes, but signals. These workarounds often reflect system limitations, process flaws, or a drive to prioritize what truly matters: patient care.

2. What You See in Data Isn’t Always What Happened

Event logs often record what’s entered, not what’s executed. In domains like healthcare or construction, there’s a clear disconnect between reality and system registration. This gap challenges the reliability of process mining and reinforces the need for human context.

3. Process Design Should Embrace Imperfection

Traditional process methodologies often assume linearity and completeness. Iris proposes supplementing them with workaround analysis to reflect real-world complexity. Observing processes “in the wild” uncovers hidden inefficiencies, clever improvisations, and improvement opportunities.

4. Renovating a House = Living BPM

Iris’s LinkedIn series drew clever parallels between home renovation and process management. From shifting plans and stakeholder coordination to “workarounds” by plumbers, she illustrates how BPM principles apply even in everyday life—complete with unpredictable dependencies and process entropy.

5. People, Teams & the Human Side of Mining

In her latest paper, Iris explores how process mining can reveal team dynamics and human behavior—like preferences, inefficiencies, or even social loafing. But she also highlights the ethical balance: to mine responsibly, researchers must anonymize data while still drawing actionable insights about team structure and collaboration.

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