Organisational Processes (ISYS90081)

Aims

Processes are central to the way IT serves business and organisations. This Foundation subject provides an introduction to the theory, analysis and design of processes. This supports course-level objectives of developing analytical skills to understand the complexity of real-world organisations. It contributes to the development of independent critical inquiry, analysis and reflection.

Indicative Content

At the theory level, the likely content is the fundamental concepts of processes and related management approaches: Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, Business Process Re-engineering, and Knowledge Management. At a skills level, the subject will develop proficiency in process modelling using Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) and Workflow Models (WfMs). To produce elegant models with explicit assumptions is an important skill that will be learned. Students will also learn key principles for designing and applying efficient, effective and robust processes, including: triage, task elimination, parallelism, batch versus continuous, contact reduction, segregation of duties and control checks. The subject will include selective treatments of standard processes such as the Sale-Order Process, and of process-oriented technologies such as Enterprise Systems and workflow.