Complete and interpretable conformance checking of business processes

This article presents a method for checking the conformance between an event log capturing the actual execution of a business process, and a model capturing its expected or normative execution. Given a business process model and an event log, the method returns a set of statements in natural language describing the behavior allowed by the process model but not observed in the log and vice versa. The method relies on a unified representation of process models and event logs based on a well-known model of concurrency, namely event structures. Specifically, the problem of conformance checking is approached by folding the input event log into an event structure, unfolding the process model into another event structure, and comparing the two event structures via an error-correcting synchronized product. Each behavioral difference detected in the synchronized product is then verbalized as a natural language statement. An empirical evaluation shows that the proposed method scales up to real-life datasets while producing more concise and higher-level difference descriptions than state-of-the-art conformance checking methods.

Gottschalk Family on porch of Kurhaus Brunig; Norderney, Germany. Business Establishments; Hotels

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Crowd lined up in the street for the going-out-of-business sale at Meyerhof am Platze Store; Hildesheim, Germany. Business Establishments; Stores

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Building that once served as the J. Krakauer Likoerfabrik Nachfolger; Chausseestrasse, Berlin Business Establishments; Factories

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View of Paul I. Landmann manufacturing factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

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Printing room 1; Paul I. Landmann Manufacturing Factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

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Printing room; Paul I. Landmann Manufacturing Factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

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Stamping room; Paul I. Landmann manufacturing factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

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Studio and office; Paul I. Landmann manufacturing factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

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Paul I. Landmann manufacturing factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

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Factory employee housing; Paul I. Landmann Manufacturing Factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

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Factory employee housing; Paul I. Landmann Manufacturing Factory; Mannheim-Neckarau Business Establishments; Factories

"Arbeiter und Mietshaeuser"