Know Your Streams: On the Conceptualization, Characterization, and Generation of Intentional Event Streams

2026-04-01

AI Summary

Existing evaluation approaches for streaming process mining algorithms predominantly rely on static logs or synthetic event streams, which fail to capture the complexity of real-world event streams in IoT environments—such as out-of-order events, concurrency, incomplete cases, and concept drift. This work addresses this gap by introducing, for the first time, a feature framework from data stream research into streaming process mining. It proposes an intent-oriented event stream generation methodology, extends the conceptual model of event streams, and implements a prototype tool, Stream of Intent. This tool enables customizable configuration of key stream characteristics reflective of real-world scenarios, facilitating the generation of controlled, reproducible, and realistically complex event streams. Consequently, it significantly enhances the relevance and adaptability of algorithm evaluation and development in streaming process mining.

Abstract

The shift toward IoT-enabled, sensor-driven systems has transformed how operational data is generated, favoring continuous, real-time event streams (ES) over static event logs. This evolution presents new challenges for Streaming Process Mining (SPM), which must cope with out-of-order events, concurrent activities, incomplete cases, and concept drifts. Yet, the evaluation of SPM algorithms remains rooted in outdated practices, relying on static logs or artificially streamified data that fail to reflect the complexities of real-world streams. To address this gap, we first perform a comprehensive review of data stream literature to identify stream characteristics currently not reflected in the SPM community. Next, we use this information to extend the conceptual foundation for ES. Finally, we propose Stream of Intent, a prototype generator to produce ES with specific features. Our evaluation shows excellence in producing reproducible, intentional ES for targeted benchmarking and adaptive algorithm development in SPM.

Problem

• Streaming Process Mining
• Event Streams
• Concept Drift
• Out-of-order Events
• Benchmarking

Innovation

• Streaming Process Mining
• Event Stream Generation
• Concept Drift
• Out-of-Order Events
• Intentional Streams