Business Process Modeling, Analysis, and Improvement
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Business Process Modeling, Analysis, and Improvement
This course is part of multiple programs.
Instructors: Daniel C. Yeomans
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What you'll learn
Build job-ready skills in business process modeling, Lean, Six Sigma, and systems thinking to excel in business analysis and process management roles
Develop and interpret process models and maps that represent current and desired states, enabling better communication and decision making
Analyze processes to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities using mapping, narratives, and analytical frameworks
Integrate systems thinking, Lean, Six Sigma, and AI-enabled methods to design, implement, and sustain optimized processes with measurable impact
Skills you'll gain
- Process Improvement
- Process Mapping
- Six Sigma Methodology
- Lean Methodologies
- Agile Methodology
- Systems Thinking
- Process Design
- Lean Six Sigma
- Stakeholder Analysis
- Change Management
- Business Process Management
- Matrix Management
- Process Analysis
- Quality Improvement
- Dataflow
- Process Flow Diagrams
- Prioritization
- Business Process Modeling
- Business Process Improvement
Tools you'll learn
Details to know
13 assignments
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There are 5 modules in this course
Poor management practices cost the global economy $8.8 trillion, or about 9% of world GDP! (Gallup) This course builds job-ready skills in business process modeling, analysis, and improvement that businesses desperately need; no prior experience required.
Designed for professionals and aspiring managers, this course builds your practical knowledge of how Lean, Six Sigma, and systems thinking can analyze and enhance how work gets done. Through activities such as podcasts and AI-enabled role-plays, you will model and map processes, identify inefficiencies, and apply proven methods to improve performance, communication, and collaboration across teams. Plus, through real-world scenarios and a final project, youβll design and document a complete business process model and narrative. By the end, youβll be ready to contribute to process improvement initiatives and pursue certifications such as CompTIA Project+, ASQ CQIA, or AIGPE Process Mapping Specialist. Enroll today to strengthen your analytical skills and accelerate your career in business analysis and operations management.
This module introduces the foundations of business process modeling, including core concepts, frameworks, and techniques for capturing current and future states. You will explore what process models are, why they matter, and how they help organizations make better decisions and improve performance. You will examine frameworks and modeling approaches at both high and detailed levels, gaining awareness of tools such as Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs), Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs), flowcharts, swim lane diagrams, and BPMN. The module also covers use cases, scenarios, and the connection between process models and stakeholder perspectives, ensuring you can align technical methods with real-world business needs. Through labs and practice activities, you will apply a structured process modeling checklist, analyze business gaps, and create diagrams that clarify how work is (and should be) performed.
What's included
8 videos1 reading3 assignments7 plugins
8 videosβ’Total 58 minutes
- Course Introductionβ’4 minutes
- Introduction to Business Analysis and Process Modelingβ’9 minutes
- Business Context and Drivers for Modelingβ’8 minutes
- Overview of Frameworks and Techniquesβ’8 minutes
- Stakeholder Perspectives in Modelingβ’8 minutes
- Introduction to Use Casesβ’7 minutes
- Use Case Diagrams, Scenarios, and Relationshipsβ’7 minutes
- Choosing the Right Process Modeling Toolsβ’6 minutes
1 readingβ’Total 10 minutes
- Course Overviewβ’10 minutes
3 assignmentsβ’Total 50 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Process Modeling Fundamentalsβ’30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Introduction to Process Modelingβ’10 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Process Modeling Methods and Toolsβ’10 minutes
7 pluginsβ’Total 78 minutes
- Reading: Helpful Tips for Course Completionβ’5 minutes
- Reading: Process Modeling Checklistβ’3 minutes
- Lab: Analyze Business Needs and Gaps in a Business Solutionβ’30 minutes
- Podcast: Connecting Use Cases to Processesβ’5 minutes
- Reading: Common Notations and Tools for Process Modelingβ’2 minutes
- Lab: Create a Use Case Diagramβ’30 minutes
- Activity: Podcast: Recap: Process Modeling Fundamentalsβ’3 minutes
This module introduces practical mapping methods used to visualize and analyze how work is performed to uncover inefficiencies and prepare for process improvement work. You will explore different types of process mapsβincluding basic flowcharts, cross-functional diagrams, and top-down viewsβand learn when and how to apply each. The module introduces best practices for using BPMN and swim lane diagrams to clarify roles and responsibilities, along with techniques for handling complex processes through decomposition. You will also examine process narratives, SIPOC analysis, and the FURPS framework as complementary tools for capturing requirements, identifying inefficiencies, and communicating with stakeholders. Hands-on labs and activities reinforce learning by allowing you to create maps, conduct SIPOC interviews, and analyze customer scenarios that highlight critical performance gaps.
What's included
5 videos3 assignments6 plugins
5 videosβ’Total 32 minutes
- Creating Process Maps and Flowchartsβ’8 minutes
- Process Mapping Techniques for Complex Processesβ’6 minutes
- Advanced BPMN Techniques and SwimLane Diagramsβ’9 minutes
- Process Narrativesβ’5 minutes
- SIPOC Analysisβ’4 minutes
3 assignmentsβ’Total 50 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Business Process Mapping Techniquesβ’30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Introduction to Process Mappingβ’10 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Process Narratives, SIPOC, and FURPSβ’10 minutes
6 pluginsβ’Total 52 minutes
- Podcast: The Process Mapping Processβ’4 minutes
- Reading: Process Mapping Cheat Sheetβ’3 minutes
- Reading: Process Mapping Toolsβ’5 minutes
- Lab: Create a Flowchart for Order Managementβ’30 minutes
- Podcast: FURPS Analysisβ’5 minutes
- Podcast: Recap: Business Process Mapping Techniquesβ’5 minutes
This module focuses on methods for improving, optimizing, and transforming business processes and the role of AI in accelerating these initiatives. You will learn about different types of improvement efforts, such as process optimization, automation, and reengineering, and understand the responsibilities of process owners and improvement frameworks. The module also introduces prioritization techniques like MoSCoW and Kano to help evaluate which improvements deliver the most value. The module also focuses on how generative AI can support process analysis and improvement. You will identify how AI assists in documentation, visualization, and cost analysis, and practice using AI prompts to uncover insights in real-world scenarios. Hands-on labs and activities enable you to apply both traditional and AI-enhanced approaches to identifying inefficiencies and recommending improvements.
What's included
7 videos3 assignments5 plugins
7 videosβ’Total 44 minutes
- Introduction to Process Improvementβ’6 minutes
- Process Optimizationβ’6 minutes
- Implementing Process Automationβ’9 minutes
- Reengineering Business Processesβ’8 minutes
- Evaluating and Prioritizing Improvementsβ’6 minutes
- Leveraging GenAI in Process Modelingβ’5 minutes
- Activity Based Costingβ’4 minutes
3 assignmentsβ’Total 50 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Business Process Improvement and AIβ’30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Introduction to Process Optimizationβ’10 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Process Improvement and AIβ’10 minutes
5 pluginsβ’Total 73 minutes
- Lab: Identify Inefficiencies and Improvement Opportunities in an Existing Processβ’30 minutes
- Reading: AI-Assisted Visualization Tools and Example Promptsβ’5 minutes
- Lab: Activity Based Costingβ’30 minutes
- Reading: AI Prompt Cheat Sheet: Modeling, Mapping, and Process Improvementβ’5 minutes
- Podcast: Business Process Improvement and AIβ’3 minutes
This module introduces systems thinking, Lean principles, and Six Sigma fundamentals as complementary approaches to the process improvement methods explored in earlier modules. You will discover how systems thinking reveals interconnections across processes, prevents sub-optimization, and supports the design of holistic, organization-wide solutions. You will gain guidance on planning, implementing, and sustaining improvements through structured change management and governance practices. The module focuses on Lean and Six Sigma as proven frameworks for driving efficiency and quality. You will learn about Leanβs philosophy of value creation and waste elimination, practice identifying the eight common wastes, and use value stream mapping to visualize workflow improvements. Six Sigma tools such as DMAIC and statistical process control are introduced to provide structured, data-driven approaches to solving problems and maintaining stability.
What's included
10 videos3 assignments7 plugins
10 videosβ’Total 62 minutes
- Introduction to Systems Thinkingβ’5 minutes
- Systems Thinking Principlesβ’7 minutes
- Avoiding Sub-Optimizationβ’6 minutes
- Designing System-Wide Solutionsβ’7 minutes
- Implementation Planningβ’7 minutes
- Sustaining Improvementsβ’6 minutes
- Introduction to Lean Thinkingβ’5 minutes
- Eight Wastes in Business Processesβ’6 minutes
- Value Stream Mappingβ’5 minutes
- Statistical Process Controlβ’6 minutes
3 assignmentsβ’Total 50 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Systems Thinking, Lean, and Six Sigmaβ’30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Systems Thinking for Sustainable Improvementβ’10 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Lean Principles and Six Sigma Fundamentalsβ’10 minutes
7 pluginsβ’Total 63 minutes
- Reading: Systems Thinking in Organizationsβ’4 minutes
- Reading: Change Implementation Guideβ’3 minutes
- Lab: Sustaining the Gain: Dispatch Routing Softwareβ’30 minutes
- Reading: Lean Six Sigma Quick Reference Guideβ’3 minutes
- Podcast: DMAIC Methodology Overviewβ’15 minutes
- Reading: DMAIC Cheat Sheetβ’3 minutes
- Activity: Podcast: Recap: Systems Thinking, Lean, and Six Sigmaβ’5 minutes
The final module gives you an opportunity to apply what you have learned throughout the course in a project. You will develop a process model and supporting narrative based on a real-world use case, integrating techniques from process modeling, mapping, improvement, and systems thinking. The module also includes a final quiz to assess knowledge gained across the course. In addition, the module highlights key takeaways, provides a glossary of terms, acknowledges contributors, and outlines potential next steps, including industry-recognized certifications (such as CompTIA Project+, ASQ CQIA, and AIGPE Process Mapping Specialist) to continue professional development.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 assignment1 app item3 plugins
1 videoβ’Total 5 minutes
- Course Wrap-Upβ’5 minutes
2 readingsβ’Total 3 minutes
- Congratulations and Next Stepsβ’2 minutes
- Team and Acknowledgmentsβ’1 minute
1 assignmentβ’Total 30 minutes
- Final Quiz: Business Process Modeling and Analysis for Non-PMsβ’30 minutes
1 app itemβ’Total 30 minutes
- Final Submission: Develop a Process and Narrative Based on a Use Caseβ’30 minutes
3 pluginsβ’Total 26 minutes
- Final Project: Develop a Process Map and Narrativeβ’7 minutes
- Course Glossaryβ’15 minutes
- Reading: Potential Certificationsβ’4 minutes
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Frequently asked questions
This course is ideal for professionals and managers who want to improve how work gets done, enhance efficiency, or lead change initiatives. It is also valuable for those pursuing roles in business analysis, operations management, or process improvement.
This course does not require prior project management or business analysis experience. It is designed for learners from any background who want to build practical, job-ready skills in process modeling and improvement.
You will develop skills in process modeling, Lean and Six Sigma analysis, systems thinking, and AI-supported improvement methods. These capabilities are in high demand across industries that value efficiency, data-driven decision making, and operational excellence.
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