Attila The Hun, His Horse, and the Peak of Inflated Expectations

The use of myths and legends is a popular way to describe situations in a way that is easy for everyone to understand: Legend says that where Attila's horse passed grass did not grow again and some companies can behave like the legendary king of the Huns, leaving a barren landscape behind them.

The process mining market is at risk of something similar. Or was on the verge of it.

A few days ago, James Henderson published a simple three-point analysis, which we fully agree with. He's optimistic. You can read his piece, but I'll summarize it quickly: essentially, there is better knowledge of the potential of this technology, companies are moving away from solutions where the balance between price and value is totally misaligned, and new technical innovations and specializations are being introduced that enhance the potential for delivering transparency in process execution that process mining offers.

We’re not here to be pessimistic, but it’s worth highlighting the feedback we get from the market on a day to day basis. While grass is indeed growing, there are moments when it feels like the ground has been sprayed with Agent Orange. Prospects discover our solution (they like it) and say something like, “you’re just like…” a company in our category. This is often followed by a series of disappointed comments. The causes of this disappointment typically revolve around:

• Pricing schemes that try to capture too much of the generated value - Yes, there’s value, but realizing it is trickier than it initially seems, especially because much more value was promised than can actually be delivered. In the end, it’s not about a lack of value but about the perceived cost-benefit ratio.

• Rigidity and lack of flexibility - Organizations need people who can understand the potential of the technology, figure out where the most value is generated, and deal with the complexity of determining where the data is and what to use. Focusing on just one or two processes with expectations of quick gains reduces the scope of benefits and delays the discovery of other areas of the company that, when given the chance to actually visualize their current processes, often say, “I want this.”

So, the news is that if there’s disappointment regarding the potential of process mining, it’s because not enough attention has been paid to the broader environment. It’s accessible, though there is a growing demand for data volume that may raise infrastructure costs.

Have we passed the peak of overblown expectations, crossed the chasm of disillusionment, and are we starting to climb toward realism and the fulfillment of the real value of technology?

All signs point to yes. And for everyone. If you are interested, we can explain it to you.