Task mining – more than an add-on to process mining

The rise of task mining – the next frontier of Process Intelligence

Our previous blog explored the synergy between task mining and process mining to enhance enterprise value. We now shift our attention to the distinct use cases of task mining, supported by its current market momentum and growth¹. Recent acquisitions, expansions and strategic alliances highlight the increasing recognition of task mining's ability to boost process intelligence and reflect the rising demand for advanced task mining solutions within major enterprise ecosystems^2,3 .

As organisations strive to optimise their operations innovatively, task mining is emerging as a crucial tool to achieve substantial efficiency improvements and a competitive edge. Advising leaders of Process Mining Centers of Excellence, we have seen that many who have reached high maturity are now expanding to scale task mining⁴. The number of publications relating to task mining are steadily increasing⁵, and the market is projected to grow significantly, to about $10 billion globally by 2033⁶.

How to make task mining work – balancing insight and data privacy

Task mining functions by capturing and analysing user interactions with various software applications to reveal detailed insights into task execution within an organisation (see Figure 1). This may involve recording mouse clicks and other user actions to construct a comprehensive map of how tasks are performed. Advanced algorithms then process this data to detect patterns, inefficiencies, and opportunities for automation.

Collecting and analysing such granular data requires strict adherence to data privacy measures. Organisations must ensure that task mining tools comply with data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This involves anonymising user data, securing data storage, obtaining explicit consent from employees and restricting the usage (whitelisting) of selected systems for monitoring. By prioritising data privacy, organisations can utilise task mining to boost operational efficiency while protecting sensitive information and maintaining the trust of the workforce. Drawing on our extensive project experience, we always initiate the task mining journey with a thorough data privacy impact assessment, complemented by a local legal evaluation, to ensure a smooth and compliant project execution.

Emerging unique task mining use cases driving productivity and enterprise architecture

Task mining is instrumental in several focus areas, including tool adoption, process optimisation, process transparency, and systems rationalisation. By analysing user interactions, organisations can identify which tools are most frequently used and how effectively they are being utilised, leading to more informed decisions about software investments. Task mining also uncovers inefficiencies in processes, providing actionable insights to streamline workflows and enhance productivity. It also improves process transparency by providing a detailed perspective on task execution across systems, enabling organisations to achieve comprehensive end-to-end process visibility and thorough process documentation. In a systems rationalisation project it helps by highlighting redundant or underutilised applications, enabling organisations to consolidate their IT landscape.

In subsequent sections we will delve deeper into the specifics of process transparency and systems rationalisation, exploring how task mining drives substantial improvements across these domains.

Process transparency deep dive

Companies often struggle to depict and document processes end-to-end across systems due to the complexity and fragmentation of their IT landscapes, where multiple disparate applications and systems are used simultaneously. Accurately documenting these processes is crucial as it enables organisations to identify areas for improvement, ensure consistency in execution, and make informed decisions that drive optimisation and enhance operational efficiency.

By leveraging task mining, organisations can generate detailed business process model (BPM) diagrams that represent visually the flow of tasks and activities within their operations, as depicted in Figure 2. These BPM diagrams provide a comprehensive view of the mined end-to-end processes, allowing for the identification of inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Furthermore, task mining facilitates the creation of detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for these processes, ensuring consistency and clarity in execution. Each variation of a process can be mapped into a distinct BPM diagram, which can then be imported into any process modelling tool for further analysis and optimisation, enabling organisations to refine their workflows and improve overall efficiency.

Task mining tools can also swiftly convert process insights into autogenerated robotic process automation (RPA) scripts, ready to be loaded into RPA solutions for accelerated implementation.  

Task mining for systems rationalisation – a data-driven approach

The complexity and diversity of software solutions used by organisations has risen since the early 2000s. This proliferation creates substantial opportunities for simplification and rationalisation. Many software solutions are now underutilised or obsolete and cost savings can be achieved by streamlining operations.

Task mining for systems rationalisation offers a new method to rationalise the enterprise architecture landscape. By examining how employees interact with various software applications, task mining highlights redundant, outdated, or underutilised systems within an organisation's IT landscape. This data-driven approach allows organisations to make informed decisions about consolidating or phasing out unnecessary tools, thereby reducing complexity and lowering maintenance costs. Furthermore, task mining can identify gaps where new systems could enhance productivity or integration. Through effective systems rationalisation, organisations can achieve a more streamlined, efficient, and cost-effective IT environment, ultimately supporting better business outcomes.

Figure 3 outlines task mining’s approach to system landscape optimisation, providing examples such as an overview of critical applications and their usage, recommendations tailored to each application, and insights into application interdependencies. Additionally, it shows how task mining analyses application usage across different geographies and times, enabling organisations to identify rationalisation and optimisation opportunities within their system landscape. 

In summary, task mining has emerged as a powerful tool to drive enterprise value through detailed analysis of user interactions and task execution. Its application in tool adoption, process optimisation, process transparency and systems rationalisation offer significant benefits, including enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and improved decision-making. By leveraging task mining, organisations can uncover hidden opportunities for automation and streamline their IT landscape, leading to more agile and productive operations.

Looking ahead, the continued integration of task mining with advanced technologies and strategic partnerships will further amplify its impact. As organisations increasingly prioritise data-driven insights, task mining is set to play a central role in shaping the future of process intelligence and operational excellence.

If this blog has sparked your interest, please get in touch. Our end-to-end task mining offering ranges from data privacy and legal impact assessment to use case implementation and scaling across the entire organisation. 

Contributions:

• Davide Granata, Senior Manager
• Lukas Dickgiesser, Consultant

References:

1. Task mining to generate enterprise value, Deloitte Perspective, 30 November 2023.
2. ARIS launches ‘Task Mining by ProcessMaker’ to remove process blindspots, ARIS press release, 13 March 2025.
3. Mimica Task Mining & Process Intelligence Now Available on SAP® Store, Mimica press release, 27 January 2025.
4. Deloitte research and project expertise.
5. Task Mining, Unlocking new possibilities in process optimization, 2025 Report, Process Excellence Network.
6. The market is estimated at US$2 billion in 2025 and projected to reaching an $10 billion by 2033, according to Market Report Analytics. Consumer trends in task mining software market, 10 April 2025.
7. Deloitte research and project expertise.
8. Deloitte research and project expertise.