How does work really get done? It sounds like a simple question with an obvious answer. The truth is anything but.
A gap often exists between how a task is supposed to be completed and how it’s actually completed. People may be deviating from the prescribed procedure more frequently and more extensively than anyone realizes. The real workflow may be unknown to everyone except the person running it. And it may be full of errors and inefficiencies that no one is aware of.
Manufacturing is supposed to be a series of optimal processes running in perfect sync. The reality is that we know the inputs and outputs but often have little to no visibility into what happens in between
Task mining solves that problem. By mapping how tasks are completed under real-world conditions, task mining uncovers opportunities for improvement, enabling significant time, cost, and quality savings in the process.
It’s an opportunity all manufacturers should embrace. And now, thanks to the Infor ecosystem, task mining has never been easier.
Why Traditional Process Visibility Falls Short
Despite significant improvement, expansion, and integration of manufacturing technology, visibility remains a struggle. Manufacturers often can’t track what’s happening across all phases of production, see processes operating at a granular level, or capture when people are relying on manual inputs of improvised workarounds.
In some cases, this activity falls outside the scope of what technology can see. In other cases, it’s being hidden by workers who want to avoid penalties for deviating from standard operating procedure. In any case, it results in bottlenecks, inconsistencies, and quality control issues that no one can fix because no one knows they exist.
This invisible work, often called the “hidden factory,” is difficult to quantify since it goes unseen, but multiple estimates suggest it ranges from 15% to 40% of the cost of goods sold (COGS) or around $8 trillion for the industry collectively each year. Task mining has the potential to reduce those losses substantially.
What is Task Mining?
Task mining records how people complete discrete tasks on a day-to-day basis. Rather than relying on process documentation or self-reporting, both of which can be inaccurate, task mining documents the individual steps that individuals perform to complete a task. Then it analyzes those steps to identify where they diverge from standard procedure and performance benchmarks.
Task mining is possible thanks to advances in AI. Technology that runs independently and intelligently can accurately record and categorize the actions that individuals are performing, even when they are unusual or unexpected. It can also translate large volumes of data into precise and detailed maps showing how tasks operate from beginning to end. Finally, it can highlight inefficiencies and other issues within those maps and recommend practical improvements.
Some tasks are better candidates for mining than others. In general, the more a task relies on technology, the more it can be tracked through system logs. Tasks that take place in physical environments can still, in some cases, be mined using computer vision technologies, but the process is (currently) more complicated and less reliable.
How Infor Velocity Suite Enables Task Mining
The Infor Velocity Suite is a collection of AI-powered solutions designed to make the advantages of AI accessible to manufacturers. Included is a tool purpose-built for task mining that’s embedded into Infor CloudSuite.
Combining task mining with the ERP makes sense for several reasons. First, more work happens in the ERP than any other system, so there are numerous tasks that can be mined, including important tasks related to finance, planning, and operations. Second, since task mining works in cooperation with the other tools in the Infor Velocity suite, such as a generative AI chatbot that can answer questions or prepare reports, the data from task mining can be easily analyzed, and improvements can be easily implemented.
Improving how people interact with the ERP has widespread benefits for manufacturers. With the task mining tool in the Infor Velocity Suite, as well as other AI enhancements, those improvements are well within reach.
Turning Visibility into Business Impact
It’s an understatement to say that task mining leads to “better tasks.” Rather, it lays the foundation for a breadth and depth of optimization that didn’t exist before. Examples include:
- Discovering automation opportunities that enable faster processes, reduced cycle times, and lower labor costs.
- Eliminating redundant steps and manual entries so that operational efficiency reaches a new peak and continues improving over time.
- Improving visibility into real workflows in order to standardize processes across teams, departments, and locations.
- Connecting task-level insights to broader business processes to get a stronger ROI from investments in ERP and other technologies.
- Upgrading employee productivity and user experience by replacing assumptions with data-driven operational decisions.
- Putting the pieces in place for continuous improvement and digital transformation driven by better insights into what’s working and what’s not.
Get Started with Help from Guide Technologies
Getting started with task mining has two components: implementing the Infor Velocity Suite, and using the tools it includes to start mining tasks, whether that’s the low-hanging fruits or the most critical or problematic workflows.
Guide Technologies can help on both fronts by putting the necessary technology in place and showing you how to use it effectively. Our Infor experts have worked extensively with the task mining tool along with the rest of Infor’s innovative AI capabilities. They have also helped real manufacturers make imperfect tasks run like clockwork. Improvements are attainable. Our team knows how.
It starts by learning more about task mining and the Infor Velocity Suite. Contact us at your convenience.
