6. Technology & Processes Design

Question 1

Why do organizations need business processes? 3 points

Answer 1

1. Determining the tasks that need to be done. Organizations need to classify everything into manageable sub-tasks.
2. Assigning tasks to units (people/teams/departments).
3. Arranging those units into a decision-making framework

Question 2

What is the definition of a business process?

Answer 2

A set of activities from start to finish including the flow, decisions, & loops of these activities that creates a concrete deliverable output unit

Question 3

How were business processes traditionally?

Answer 3

Fixed and structured. You only set it up once without much change.

Question 4

How are business processes now?

Answer 4

Now oftentimes, the process management is more flexible. Teams work on smaller processes that may change frequently. Agile development

Question 5

What is Business Process Reengineering?

Answer 5

BPR is a way to redesign business processes to improve their performance and efficiency.

Question 6

Why do you need Business Process Reengineering? 7 points

Answer 6

1. Identifying and documenting existing processes.
2. Finding inefficiencies.
3. Creating models for better processes.
4. Capturing and enforcing business rules.
5. Integrating systems to support improvements.
6. Verifying improvements in new processes.
7. Measuring the impact on key performance indicators.

Question 7

What are the key steps in Business process reengineering methodologies?

Answer 7

1. Preparation: Build consensus for change.
2. Process Think: Identify which processes need improvement and why.
3. Creation: Analyze and define existing processes.
4. Technical Design: Reengineer processes
5. Social Design: Focus on people and their roles in the process.
6. Implementation

Question 8

Of what 5 elements does an activity diagram consist?

Answer 8

1. Activities (boxes)
2. Flows (arrows)
3. Decisions (diamond with question)
4. Loop
5. Start & finish

Question 9

What is systems design in IT? 3 points

Answer 9

1. Analyzing and improving business processes.
2. Evaluating the role of information in processes.
3. Enhancing information flows using IT to optimize efficiency.

Question 10

What is information flow modeling? 3 points

Answer 10

1. A high-level overview of key information flows in an organization.
2. Less detailed than process modeling.
3. Identifies how information moves through different units.

Question 11

What does information flow modeling help determine? 3 points

Answer 11

1. Whether units get the right information (not too much or too little).
2. If information is accurate, timely, sufficient, and cost-effective.
3. How IT or other improvements can enhance the flow.

Question 12

What are the components of an information flow diagram?

Answer 12

1. Sources and Destinations: Start and end points of information.
2. Connections: How information flows between units.
3. Specification of Information: Details about the information being transferred.

Question 13

What are the benefits of information flow diagrams?

Answer 13

1. Identify where new IT systems can be implemented.
2. Ensure units are connected with accurate and timely information.
3. Support decision-making to improve information flow efficiency.