We demonstrate this APE framework using island diffusion on a Pd(100) surface as a characteristic application example. APE readily identifies a plethora of non-intuitive collective, yet low-barrier processes far beyond traditionally considered surface hopping and exchange diffusion mechanisms. That this happens even for such a seemingly simple system underscores the limitations of prevalent look-up table kMC approaches. Subsequent lattice kMC simulations reveal a significant influence of identified collective processes on island diffusivity and point in particular at the relevance of hitherto unrecognized sliding motions of entire rows of atoms.