Cost-based conformance checking using the A* algorithm

The growing complexity of processes in many organizations stimulates the adoption of business process analysis techniques. Typically, such techniques are based on process models and assume that the operational processes in reality conform to these models. However, experience shows that reality often deviates from hand-made models. Therefore, the problem of checking to what extent the operational process conforms to the process model is important for process management, process improvement, and compliance. In this paper, we present a robust replay analysis technique that is able to measure the conformance of an event log for a given process model. The approach quanti¿es conformance and provides intuitive diagnostics (skipped and inserted activities). Our technique has been implemented in the ProM 6 framework. Comparative evaluations show that the approach overcomes many of the limitations of existing conformance checking techniques.