Computer-implemented method for generating a process model (601) for use in the analysis of the operation of a process (300) which can be operated in a number of different process stages as defined by a stage variable associated with the process (300), comprising: Acquiring training data from the process (300) during the operation of the process (300), wherein the training data include a value for each of a set of process parameters, a value for the stage variable, and a value of an
outcome variable associated with each of a variety of different
process measurement times; Dividing the training data into time fractions of the data using a
computer processing device (102, 13) to produce a set of time fractional data for each time fraction of the data, wherein each set of time fractional data includes a value for each of the set of process parameters, a value for the stage variable and a value for the result variable; Storing sets of time-proportional data in a
computer memory; using a
computer processing device (102, 13) determine a set of process stage means from the training data, wherein the set of process stage means includes a stage variable mean for each of the process stages and one or more process parameter means for each of the process stages; Storing the sets of process stage resources in a
computer memory; using a
computer processing device (102, 13) determining a set of time-part means for each of the time parts of the data using the stored process stage means, wherein each set of time-part means includes a time-part mean for each of the process parameters; using a computer
processing device (102, 13) developing a set of deviations from the mean for each time fraction of the data, wherein the set of deviations from the mean for a given time fraction of the data for each process parameter within the given time fraction of the data includes the use of the process parameter value of the given time fraction of the data and the time fraction mean for the process parameter for the given time fraction of the data to develop the deviation from the mean for the process parameter for the given time fraction of the data; and using a computer
processing device (102, 13) generating a process model (601) using the sets of deviations from the mean for the time components of the data and the result variable values for the time components of the data.