Business process analysis and improvement in practice 2400-ZEWW1043
Detailed course objectives:
• Increasing process awareness, learning the BPM context and acquiring theoretical knowledge will allow students to consolidate their thinking about the role of processes in the organization, the role of a process analyst in process improvement projects and the implementation of new technologies,
• Acquiring practical skills in using modern methods, techniques and tools will allow students to feel self-confident and certain of own competences when making decisions about professional development or performing everyday work as a process analyst,
• Implementation of a project involving the preparation of comprehensive analytical documentation of the processes of a sample organization, its presentation and discussion before the group will allow students to learn not only the theory and practice, but also feel the routine of work of a process analyst on many levels.
The process approach (Business Process Management, BPM) is currently used by many organizations that strive to gain a competitive advantage through analysis, improvement and automation of operations in the organization. Detailed agenda of course activities:
Lectures:
1. Process analysis in the context of process management
(BPM; BPM cycle; stakeholders and roles in the BPM; BABOK; BPM maturity, patterns and assessment; BPM success factors; process improvement goals and triggers)
2. Process identification and architecture of organizational processes
(Processes in the organization; process identification steps; process landscape model; Value Chain model; reference models; process performance dimensions & measures; Balanced scorecard; TOGAF)
3. Software tools and graphic notations supporting documentation, analysis and design of processes
(tools and notations in the work of a process analyst; CMMN; DMN; basics of modeling in BPMN)
4. Process modeling in BPMN notation
(deep dive of modeling in BPMN)
5. Methods and techniques of process discovery
(process discovery approaches and methods; Top-Down & Bottom-Up; process discovery steps; quality assurance; working with stakeholders)
6. Methods and techniques of analysis and process improvement
(analysis objectives; qualitative and quantitative methods and techniques; measurement methods)
7. Lean management and Process Mining
(Lean: application, techniques, tools; Value stream mapping; process mining: functions, application; SIPOC)
8. Implementation, monitoring and control of the process
(BPMS; Low-Code; process performance monitoring and dashboards; Rummler's method; process control metrics and indicators)
9. Risk and change management
(Risk and change management processes; risk register; M_o_R; activity planning; Prioritization; communication)
10. Process analysis in IT projects
(Business Case Analysis; UML; project and requirements management; work prioritization; Zachman Framework; documentation)
11. Presentation of students' projects, discussion, exams.
Workshops and assignments:
- Process description and process profile
- Creation of a process analysis document template
- Mapping the organization's process architecture
- Functional arsenal of a process modeling system (e.g. Adonis, Bizagi)
- Modeling in BPMN notation
- Analysis of the potential for process improvement of the as-is process by applying qualitative and quantitative methods and techniques
- Lean : Waste analysis and elimination of waste
- Designing process control metrics
- Creation of a risk register
- Creation of a Use Case diagram and User Story
Course coordinators
Type of course
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing the course, the student:
1. Understands what process analysis is in the context of process management, knows what role a process analyst plays in the organization
2. Knows how to work with stakeholders, identify process and project goals, manage requirements and document processes for both process improvement and IT projects
3. Is able to apply in practice appropriate standards, methods, techniques and tools for identifying, designing, analyzing, improving and monitoring organizational processes
4. Knows how to use IT tools supporting documentation, analysis, improvement and design of processes
5. Is able to model processes in BPMN notation in accordance with accepted standards and good practices
Assessment criteria
The final grade for the course is determined based on the sum of percentage points assigned to the individual assessment components. Each component is assessed on a pass/fail basis, which means that the student receives either the full number of percentage points assigned to a given component or 0 percentage points. The final grade for the course is determined based on the following components:
• participation in classes – 20%; 2 absences are permitted during the entire course;
• correctness of the process model – 10%; this includes the preparation of a correct “as-is” process model developed in BPMN in the Adonis system during the workshop;
• project assignments – 20%; at the midpoint of the course, points are awarded for the project tasks completed to date, based on their completeness and correctness;
• final project presentation – 40%; this includes the preparation of comprehensive analytical process documentation, in accordance with the template developed during the classes, and its presentation;
• oral examination – 10%; this includes answering 1 question related to the course content.
In total, the student may obtain 100% for the above components.
Grades:
below 60% – 2.0, fail;
60% – 3.0, satisfactory;
70% – 3.5, satisfactory plus;
80% – 4.0, good;
90% – 4.5, good plus;
100% – 5.0, very good.
Bibliography
Dumas M., Rosa M. L., Mendling J., Reijers H., Fundamentals of Business Process Management. Heidelberg: Springer, 2016.
Laguna, M., & Marklund, J. (2019). Business process modeling, simulation and design (Third Edition). CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group
Milani, F. (2019). Digital Business Analysis. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05719-0
Additional:
BABOK: A guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (Version 3). (2015). International Institute of Business Analysis.
Rosing, M. V. (2014). The complete business process handbook: Body of knowledge from process modeling to bpm (1st edition). Elsevier.
vom Brocke, J., & Rosemann, M. (Red.). (2015). Handbook on Business Process Management 1: Introduction, Methods, and Information Systems. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45100-3
vom Brocke, J., & Mendling, J. (Red.). (2018). Business Process Management Cases. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58307-5