Lesson plan

Alpha algorithm

The α-algorithm or α-miner is an algorithm used in process mining, aimed at reconstructing causality from a set of sequences of events. It was first put forward by van der Aalst, Weijters and Măruşter. The goal of Alpha miner is to convert the event log into a workflow-net based on the relations between various activities in the event log. An event log is a multi-set of traces, and a trace is a sequence of activity names. Several extensions or modifications of it have since been presented, which will be listed below. Alpha miner was the first process discovery algorithm ever proposed, and it gives a good overview of the aim of process discovery and how various activities within the process are executed. Alpha miner was also the basis for the development of many other process mining techniques such as heuristic miner, genetic mining was developed based on the idea alpha miner is built on.

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Article summary

The α-algorithm or α-miner is an algorithm used in process mining, aimed at reconstructing causality from a set of sequences of events. It was first put forward by van der Aalst, Weijters and Măruşter. The goal of Alpha miner is to convert the event log into a workflow-net based on the relations between various activities in the event log. An event log is a multi-set of traces, and a trace is a sequence of activity names. Several extensions or modifications of it have since been presented, which will be listed below. Alpha miner was the first process discovery algorithm ever proposed, and it gives a good overview of the aim of process discovery and how various activities within the process are executed. Alpha miner was also the basis for the development of many other process mining techniques such as heuristic miner, genetic mining was developed based on the idea alpha miner is built on.

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Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.