Course coordinator
Mrs Shahrzad Roohy Gohar
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
This course introduces students to Business Process Management and various process improvement techniques used in business to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. Students will develop knowledge of the process lifecycle and skills in modelling organisational processes using the international BPMN modelling standard. Students will further develop knowledge of several popular process analysis and improvement techniques, including Lean. Developing skills in applying various process improvement techniques will be supported through the use of case studies and a group assignment.
Business Process Management (BPM) is a body of knowledge relating to the identification, documentation, design and management of business operations. BPM skills are highly sought after by many organisations as they enable positive change with respect to operational resilience and efficiency. In today’s global and competitive environment, the ability to identify and eliminate waste, as well as to redesign processes to take advantage of new technologies is key to organisations remaining competitive. This course provides an overview of the history and purpose of BPM, and introduces students to the whole process lifecycle, including process modelling and process improvement, where students will developﾠskills in process modelling, analysis and improvement.ﾠAs a backdrop to learning these methodologies and technical skills, the course also draws out the key role that people (e.g. employees) play in successful BPM initiatives.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Before attempting this course, students are advised that it is important to complete the appropriate prerequisite course(s) listed on the front of this course profile. No responsibility will be accepted by the School of Business, the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law or The University of Queensland for poor student performance occurring in courses where the appropriate prerequisite(s) has/have not been completed, for any reason whatsoever.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
8 units of MBus or MCom or Information Technology-related courses
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
BISM7202 or MGTS7202
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
BISM2203 or MGTS2203 or MGTS7216
Restrictions
Quota: Minimum of 15 enrolments
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Mrs Shahrzad Roohy Gohar
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please note: Teaching staff doﾠnotﾠhave access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you emailﾠbusiness.mytimetable@uq.edu.auﾠfrom your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to introduceﾠstudents to Business Process Management (BPM) and various process improvement techniques used in business to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. Students will develop knowledge of the process lifecycle and skills in modelling organisational processes using the international BPMN modelling standard, and further develop knowledge of several popular process analysis and improvement techniques, including Lean.ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate knowledge of Business Process Management and the process lifecycle
LO2.
Apply business process modelling skills using international modelling standards
LO3.
Apply knowledge of process improvement techniques and the ability to work as part of a team
LO4.
Analyse common process bottlenecks and problems
LO5.
Demonstrate process analysis skills
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Code, Project | A1: Process Modelling | 30% Individual |
Milestone 1 22/08/2024 2:00 pm Milestone 2 29/08/2024 2:00 pm Final Submission 5/09/2024 2:00 pm |
| Computer Code, Presentation, Product/ Design, Project |
A2: Group Process Improvement Project (Team)
|
25% Team |
17/10/2024 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Examination |
Final Exam
|
45% Individual |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
Assessment details
A1: Process Modelling
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Computer Code, Project
- Weight
- 30% Individual
- Due date
Milestone 1 22/08/2024 2:00 pm
Milestone 2 29/08/2024 2:00 pm
Final Submission 5/09/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02
Task description
- For this individual project, you are required to model an as-is process using the BPMN modelling notation.
- A narrative of the process (process walkthrough) will be provided for you to interpret and model.
- This assignment will include multiple graded milestones to be submitted prior to the final submission date. Feedback on the correct approach will be provided in tutorials after each milestone to assist with learning key techniques, with the assignment grade provided after all components have been submitted.
- Milestone submissions must be made on the due dates, or within 3 days even if an extension has been approved as per UQ's formal process. Any later submissions will not be marked for that component.
- Further details about this project will be discussed in class and posted to our course Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Submitted via the course Blackboard Site.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
No more than 3 days
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
A2: Group Process Improvement Project (Team)
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Computer Code, Presentation, Product/ Design, Project
- Weight
- 25% Team
- Due date
17/10/2024 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessed.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
- You will be required to work in teams of 4-5 students for this project.
- Based on a provided scenario, your task requires modelling of an as-is process, analysis of the process, and development of improvement recommendations and a related to-be process model.
- You will need to take your initiative to plan the delivery of this assignment to ensure it is fully complete AND compliant before the final submission date.
- Further details about this project will be discussed in class and posted to our course Blackboard site.
- This project, being a team project, will use Group Peer Assessment to ensure all team members have contributed well to the team. Your assignment mark may be moderated based on this feedback.
- Best approach is usually to identify and engage with your team early, and deliver good quality work that is fairly distributed across your team! Don't forget to give review time before submission!
- All team members will evaluate their fellow team members, and this peer evaluation process may affect an individual's mark (ie, it may be that not all team members receive the same mark). Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to incorporate mechanisms that capture evidence about the team process, such as dates/agendas for meetings, fair/agreed allocation of duties, internal team timelines, etc.
- Your peer assessment outcome will moderate your total marks for this assignment.
Submission guidelines
Online submission through Turnitin via Blackboard Assessment link.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Examination
- Weight
- 45% Individual
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05
Task description
Your final exam will be a closed-book invigilated and in-person exam. The exam duration will be 2 hours.
It will be largely based on a mini-case study scenario as described in the text. As such, it will require you to comprehend, assess, analyse and recommend solutions using techniques taught on the course. There will also be multiple choice questions and short answer questions. This is an individual assessment. Academic integrity provisions will be applied. The allocation of marks will be clearly indicated on each question. The exam will cover all course materials.
Further details will be discussed in class and posted to our course Blackboard website.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills, and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series or UQ approved , labelled calculator only |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Sustainable Development Goals
This course integrates the following Sustainable Development Goals throughout course learning activities.
Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Practical |
No Prac |
Lecture |
Business Process Management and Business Value Introduction to the course and the business process lifecycle. Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 2 |
Practical |
Prac 1 - Business Process Mgmt & Business Value Learning outcomes: L01 |
Lecture |
BPM History and Enterprise Capability Learn about key ideas that have influenced BPM and understand required enterprise capability. Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 3 |
Practical |
Prac 2 - BPM History and Enterprise Capability Learning outcomes: L01 |
Lecture |
Process Modelling with BPMN Introduction to BPMN modelling using basic constructs Learning outcomes: L02 |
|
Practical |
Prac 3 - Process Modelling with BPMN Learning outcomes: L02 |
|
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Process Modelling Practice Put your BPMN skills to practice: hands-on practical session using basic BPMN constructs Learning outcomes: L02 |
Week 5 |
Practical |
Prac 4 - Process Modelling Practice Learning outcomes: L02 |
Lecture |
Extended Process Modelling Extend your modelling skills with selected advanced BPMN constructs Learning outcomes: L02 |
|
Week 6 |
Practical |
Prac 5 - Extended Process Modelling Learning outcomes: L02 |
Lecture |
Process Identification and Process Architectures Learn about Process Architectures and how they are identified/designed. Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
|
Week 7 |
Practical |
Prac 6 - Process ID & Process Architectures Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
Lecture |
Process Discovery Learn about methods used to understand current processes so they can be modelled. Learning outcomes: L02, L05 |
|
Week 8 |
Practical |
Prac 7 - Process Discovery Learning outcomes: L02, L05 |
Lecture |
Qualitative Process Analysis: Lean vs Six Sigma Learn about Lean and how it differs from Six Sigma. Discover value-added analysis & related qualitative analyses. Introduction to group work. Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Week 9 |
Practical |
Prac 8 - Qualitative Process Analysis Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Lecture |
Quantitative Analysis Process Flow Analysis and Simulation Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Mid Sem break |
Lecture |
IN-SEMESTER BREAK |
Week 10 |
Practical |
Prac 9 - Quantitative Analysis Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Lecture |
Process Improvement Process Redesign (NB: this lecture will be rescheduled due to public holiday - tbc) Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 11 |
Practical |
Prac 10 - Process Improvement Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
Lecture |
Process Implementation and Monitoring Learn about technical and organisational aspects of process implementation, as well as methods for process monitoring. Learning outcomes: L04, L05 |
|
Week 12 |
Practical |
Prac 11 - Process Implementation and Monitoring Learning outcomes: L04, L05 |
Lecture |
Industry Guest Lecture Fascinating, real-life insights and examples of improving business processes - including process digitisation - from a highly experienced BPM practitioner. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 13 |
Practical |
Prac 12 - Industry Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
Lecture |
Course Review & Group Work Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.