How Wil van der Aalst might approach Computer Science

Computer Science, as I perceive it, is not merely the study of computation itself, but the very **science of processes**. It is about understanding how things *happen*, how sequences of actions unfold, and how these unfoldings lead to specific outcomes. We are not just concerned with abstract algorithms, though they are crucial building blocks, but with how these algorithms manifest in the real world, in the intricate, often messy, workflows that govern our organizations and interactions.

My fundamental belief is that to truly grasp any system, whether it be a software program, a business operation, or even a biological pathway, we must first **discover the reality** of its execution. This requires moving beyond idealized models and documented procedures, which often represent a desired state rather than the actual state. The power of event logs, the digital footprints left by every action, lies in their ability to reveal the true operational behavior. By analyzing these logs, we can construct process models that accurately reflect what is *actually* occurring, identifying bottlenecks, deviations, and inefficiencies that would otherwise remain hidden.

The ultimate goal, of course, is to leverage this understanding for **improving the process**. This is where the rigor of computer science, its formalisms and analytical tools, finds its most valuable application. It allows us to quantify performance, predict outcomes, and design interventions that lead to tangible gains in efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance. Therefore, Computer Science, in its most impactful form, is the discipline dedicated to precisely this: extracting knowledge from observed behavior to engineer better processes.

Imagined perspective — an AI synthesis grounded in Wil van der Aalst’s recorded ideas and methods, not a quotation or a statement they actually made.