Portfolio Process Mining Framework
The four numbers. Eight diagnostic patterns. A way to make process mining a repeatable discipline across every process, application and investment decision, not a one-off project.
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The four numbers
How the method measures each process. DWR, CTE and FTR are shown twice: system alone, and with the off-system work added.
Digital Work Ratio
Share of the work done in the system. Higher is better. It is not a touchless or automation rate.
- <40% Immature
- 40–60% Developing
- 60–80% Good
- >80% Leading
Cycle Time Efficiency
Share of elapsed time that is real work. It is a ratio, not a number of days.
- <5% Severe
- 5–10% Typical
- 10–20% Optimised
- >20% Lean
First Time Right
Share of work done once, with no correction. FTR is checked in all eight patterns.
- <75% Late checks
- 75–85% Improving
- 85–95% Healthy
- >95% Ready to automate
Cost to Serve
Cost of one transaction, reconciled to the ledger. Adding the off-system work does not change the total. It shows where the cost sits.
The paper (February 2026) sets out DWR, CTS and CTE. The method now adds a fourth number, First Time Right.
Example scenarios from the paper
Illustrative scenarios used to explain the patterns. They are not client results.
Procure-to-pay
DWR 74%, CTE 6%. The work is in the system, but purchase orders wait days in a three-level approval chain. The fix is in the approvals, not the system.
Order-to-cash
DWR 41%. Experienced staff take orders by email and phone and bypass the CRM. Fast, but labour-heavy. Find why people avoid the system, fix it, then train.
Marketing operations
DWR 32%, CTE 25%. The team works in its own tools, and it is fast and cheap. Find out why before you force adoption.
Procure-to-pay
DWR 38%, CTE 4%. Most purchase order work is done in spreadsheets. A 12-day cycle holds 3 hours of work. Rebuild the process with the system at the centre.
What You'll Learn
A framework for comparing processes across the portfolio
The Four Numbers
How DWR, CTE, FTR and CTS show how well each application supports real business processes.
Eight Diagnostic Patterns
DWR and CTS set the quadrant. CTE splits each in two. Each pattern points to a different fix.
Portfolio Investment Decisions
How process evidence changes which applications get replaced, which get adopted, and which get left alone.
Continuous Improvement
A four-step cycle (Baseline, Target, Act, Verify) that shows whether each fix worked.
Start with one process.
A Capacity and Cost Review measures one process with the four numbers. About four weeks to the readout.
Start with a review