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Unit of study_

INFS2020: Business Process Modelling and Improvement

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit provides you with an in-depth understanding of the role of business process management (BPM) and process architectures in a business environment. You will gain essential skills of the entire BPM lifecycle, from process identification to process monitoring, including process modelling, analysis, redesign and automation required to achieve high performing business processes in a service-oriented business environment. In this unit, you will attain considerable hands-on skills with BPM tools, by documenting, analysing, and simulating current and improved processes. Assumed knowledge for this unit is INFS1000 or equivalent.

Unit details and rules

Unit code INFS2020
Academic unit Business Information Systems
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

INFS1000 or INFO1000 or INFO1003 or INFO1903

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Corina Raduescu, corina.raduescu@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam Final exam
40% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Individual assignment 1
n/a
25% Week 07
Due date: 06 Apr 2020 at 23:00
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO5 LO6
Assignment group assignment Group project
n/a
20% Week 13
Due date: 25 May 2020 at 21:00
2500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Assignment Individual Assignment 2
n/a
15% Week 13
Due date: 31 May 2020 at 23:00
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO5
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Individual assignment 1: This assignment will individually assess students' ability to engage in process discovery to identify, model, and analyse business processes within a given business case context. 
  • Individual assignment 2: This assignment will individually assess students’ ability to simulate and analyse the process documented in the Individual assignment 1 and analyse the ability of the business to make changes to their current process.       
  • Group project: This assignment will collectively assess students' ability to analyse business processes, suggest improvements, and/ or create new processes within a given business case context. It also requires students to address challenges encountered in process implementation and use Signavio to document, analyse, and simulate the associated processes. A summary of the findings and recommendations will be presented during a poster session.
  • Final exam: A take home examination that will test theoretical understanding, critical thinking, and ability to apply BPM concepts and principles in practice.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Unit overview; Introduction to Business Process Management (BPM) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1
Week 02 Process identification Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 03 Process discovery Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 04 Process modelling using BPMN and Signavio Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO5 LO6
Week 05 Process analysis (1) (qualitative) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6
Week 06 Process analysis (2) (quantitative) - simulation using Signavio (As-Is model) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO5 LO6
Week 07 Process improvement (1) - redesign heuristics Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 08 Process improvement (2) - simulation using Signavio (To-Be model) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Week 09 Group project idea pitch session - feedback collection Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO6
Week 10 Process implementation and monitoring Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 11 BPM as an enterprise capability Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 12 Unit review; Guest speaker (TBC) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 13 Group poster presentations Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings: All lectures and seminars are recorded and will be available within Canvas for student use. Please note the Business School does not own the system and cannot guarantee that the system will operate or that every class will be recorded. Students should ensure they attend and participate in all classes.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All further readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate your understanding of the role of Business Process Management (BPM) in a business environment and how BPM initiatives contribute to improving the overall process and business performance
  • LO2. demonstrate your understanding of the application of BPM principles, concepts, and frameworks to business problems and practice as captured in the BPM lifecycle
  • LO3. demonstrate your understanding of the issues and challenges associated with process improvement initiatives in organisations
  • LO4. demonstrate your understanding of the impact of process improvement decisions on stakeholders and the role of change management in addressing the risks associated with such changes in organisations
  • LO5. demonstrate your hands-on experience with process modelling and using BPM tools during BPM lifecycle
  • LO6. work both independently and as a responsible member of a diverse team, collaborate and communicate in a professional manner with people from diverse backgrounds.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The second edition of the textbook has been introduced and the topics updated.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.