Business Process Improvement
58mIntermediate2019-02-25
Authors

Eddie Davila
Associate Chair for the ASU Supply Chain Management program
Course details
Outdated, inefficient, or limited business processes lead to poorer outcomes and lower employee morale. If you've spotted a process in your organization that could use some retooling—or you want to build an entirely new process from scratch—then this course is for you. Join Eddie Davila as he shows how to become a change agent within your organization by improving business processes. Eddie goes over the traits of good business processes, as well as why some processes just don't work. He then shares tips for crafting practical solutions that solve real problems at your company, shows how to leverage tools such as flowcharts to build brand-new business processes, and explains how to sell your solutions to stakeholders.
Learning objectives
Recognize examples of assumptions in bad business processes.
Recall which mindset leads companies to keeping business processes that worked previously but will not work in the future.
Identify two key characteristics of a new business process.
Determine if a block in a block diagram is out of place.
Explain the advantage of using a flowchart when introducing an improved process to stakeholders.
Summarize the importance of gap analysis.
List the order in which you should present information when showing your new business process to stakeholders.
Name two items you must provide to a client when a plan is ready to be approved.
Learning objectives
Recognize examples of assumptions in bad business processes.
Recall which mindset leads companies to keeping business processes that worked previously but will not work in the future.
Identify two key characteristics of a new business process.
Determine if a block in a block diagram is out of place.
Explain the advantage of using a flowchart when introducing an improved process to stakeholders.
Summarize the importance of gap analysis.
List the order in which you should present information when showing your new business process to stakeholders.
Name two items you must provide to a client when a plan is ready to be approved.
Skills covered
Operations ManagementProject ManagementEssential TrainingBusiness Analysis and Strategy
Concepts
Introduction
- Processes determine outcomes
Business Process Basics
- What is a business process
- Traits of a good business process
- Importance of business processes
Bad Business Processes
- Why are some business processes bad
- Bad processes that used to be good
- Good processes with limitations
- Cow path theory
Being a Good Change Agent
- Become a change agent
- Discover goals and seek feedback
- Solutions that work for real people
Tools and Techniques for Improving Processes
- Case study - Stakeholders and goals
- Tool - Block diagrams
- Technique - Manage your scope
- Flowcharts for designing the improved process
- Flowcharts for development
The Process for Improving a Process
- Case study - Desired state
- Present state of business process
- Gap analysis and scope
- Investigate, research, analyze, and share
- Develop process solutions
- Process implementation plan
Selling Your Solution
- Get their attention
- Convince your audience
- Make the idea real
Conclusion
- Next steps