Whether a new application is purchased or custom-developed, it’s almost certain that improved or redesigned business processes will be involved.  This workshop will give business analysts a solid exposure to the modelling and analysis of a process workflow, the key phases and techniques, and the issues that must be addressed.  With initiatives like enterprise application implementation and e-commerce driving the redesign of business processes, these skills can make a real difference to a project’s success.

The workshop complements the techniques covered in our Data Modelling and Use Cases and Services workshops, and integrates proven analysis techniques with developments from fields such as business process management and quality management.  First, participants will learn the key factors to consider when dealing with business processes, and then how to specify the scope and goals of a business process, model the current workflow, assess it, and apply three critical process redesign techniques.

Key principles are illustrated throughout with workshop exercises and discussions. Business professionals with responsibility for improving their processes and business analysts needing solid techniques will both benefit from this workshop.

Objectives:

On workshop completion, participants will be able to:

• Identify a “true” business process, and specify its boundaries and goals
• Describe the key factors that differentiate process and functional approaches
• Employ a variety of techniques to keep stakeholders involved, and promote “process orientation”
• Establish the scope, issues, and goals for a business process
• Model process workflow at progressive levels of detail using Swimlane Diagrams
• Stop process modelling at the appropriate point, and move on to other techniques or phases
• Conduct a structured assessment of a business process
• Transition to the design of a new process while avoiding common (and serious!) pitfalls

Prerequisites:

None. However, business analysts who expect to do extensive workflow modelling will find that some understanding of information systems concepts may be helpful in establishing context.

Target Audience:

Business analysts who are responsible for requirements specification or are involved in business process re-design or improvement; business managers and content experts who will participate in process re-design or process-oriented application development efforts.

Course Topics:

• Thinking in process terms – concepts, terminology, principles, and techniques
• A three-phase approach to completing a process-oriented project
• Framing the process – discovering a business process, and clarifying its purpose and scope
• Initial assessment of the ”as-is” process and goal-setting for the “to-be” process
• Modelling process workflow – practical tips and techniques for using swimlane diagrams
• Controlling detail – three levels of workflow model, and when to stop modelling
• Applying workflow modelling to the as-is process – facilitating a workflow session
• Final assessment of the as-is process – a framework for assessment, relation to redesign
• Characterising the to-be process – generating creative improvements and assessing them
• Wrap-up – summary, tips, and resources