Detailed Programme

[Executive Master Class in Business Process Management] [Faculty] [The Vlerick Approach]

All modules are closely related to the business practice of the participants. Examples are the frequent presentations by practitioners, the close connection with Vlerick's BPM Network of practitioners, the business relevance of the professors and lecturers, and the in-company business project.

Opening Seminar: Introduction to BPM (1 day)

During the opening seminar, participants will be brought up to speed to tackle the rest of the programme with confidence. A common vocabulary will be introduced, and attention will be devoted to developing a constructive group atmosphere.

  • Introduction to the Executive Master Class Programme
  • Tour-de-table, setting the expectations
  • Introduction to Business Process Management
  • Vlerick Almuni briefing

Module 1: Business Process Management Fundamentals (3 days)

This module introduces the fundamentals of BPM. The participants will be guided through the BPM life cycle (i.e. analysis, modelling, evaluation, (re)design, implementation, and learning). By working through a case exercise in a hands-on way, participants have the opportunity to feel what the BPM fundamentals are all about.

  • Define and model a business process
  • A holistic approach to BPM
  • Exploring the BPM Life Cycle:
    • analysis and AS-IS modeling
    • root cause analysis
    • improvement and TO-BE redesign
    • implementation

Module 2: Strategy and Performance Management (3 days)

This module examines the linkages between strategy, performance management and continuous improvement. The module will first look at strategy from a process perspective and takes the participants into the realm of balanced scorecarding, key performance indicators, strategy mapping, and (time-driven) activity based costing. The foundation is laid for performance management at the enterprise level.

  • Strategy formulation and mapping
  • Strategy implementation: balanced scorecarding
  • Performance indicators
  • Management controlling: (time-driven) activity based costing

Modules 3 & 4: Advanced Techniques for Process Improvement (2 x 3 days)

These two modules zoom in on the use of state-of-the-art techniques for process analysis and process modelling. First, the participants will study techniques that originated in the fields of business process reengineering (BPR) and process optimisation and simulation. Then, the linkages between BPM and techniques rising from quality management (TQM) are examined in depth. With case exercises the techniques will be brought into the classroom.

  • Advanced techniques for process modeling: UML, BPMN...
  • Enterprise architecture
  • Lean thinking and Six Sigma
  • Value Stream Mapping

Module 5: Setting Up a Process Support Organisation (3 days)

This module deals with setting up a process support organisation, often also referred to as a Business Process Office (BPO). How do you set up such a centre of excellence? Which activities, roles and responsibilities does it cover? How do you make it fit your enterprise and keep it alive over time? Lessons learned and best practices are picked up from real-life case studies.

  • Focus on process-centric organizations
  • Growing the business process organisation
  • Centre for excellence in BPM: build and maintain the roadmap

Module 6: Enterprise Programme Management (3 days)

This module elaborates on the concept and practice of enterprise programme management (EPM) that is supportive of BPM. The notion of EPM encompasses an enterprise perspective on projects, programmes and portfolios of business change. The module generalises from real-life, practical experiences to help participants establish or grow their EPM capabilities.

  • Portfolios, programmes and projects
  • The intelligent project management office
  • Programme risk management

Module 7: Information Systems Alignment (3 days)

This module speaks to the need for alignment between business and IT in support of BPM. How do you get the demand-side and the supply-side ready and aligned for process orientation? It is here that enterprise architecture and service oriented architecting (SOA) meet business cases for IT investments. The potential of systems and suites for business process management is shown.

  • Business-IT Alignment
  • IT strategy and the operating model
  • IT governance
  • Enterprise system investments

Module 8: Delivering Service Excellence (3 days)

This module zooms in on service environments and puts the customer in the spotlight for the BPM exercise. Customer centricity is the name of the game. Building, growing and maintaining strong customer relationships through innovative and high quality service processes are at the heart of the course content. The material covered in this module will help the participants move in the direction of more customer-focused answers to business process challenges.

  • Services management
  • Aligning the operational capabilities with the value proposition
  • Services marketing: customer focus
  • Service quality and customer satisfaction

Module 9: People and Change Management (3 days)

Respectfully influencing and managing change is the central theme of this module. In combination with change on an individual and team level, organisational readiness features as a key theme in this module. The style of this course is a combination of theory and illustrative stories and practical interaction via group exercises, based upon real-life BPM change situations and issues.

  • Leading effective teams
  • Change management foundations
  • Planning for change
  • Resistance management

Closing Seminar: State-of-the-art BPM (2 days)

This two-day seminar makes the management of business processes into a closing theme. A keynote will set the stage for discussion and analysis of state-of-the-art developments in the BPM domain. Also, participants are invited to take the stage and share the latest BPM efforts in their own organisation with their classmates. The closing seminar is a natural moment of synthesis for both participants and lecturers at the end of the executive master class.

Assignments

Throughout the course, case exercises complement the lectures. Specifically, two case assignments are to be solved in groups of 4 to 5 participants. These group assignments are important moments to integrate the lessons learned. Together with the in-company project, the assignments make up an integral part of the course evaluation.

In-Company Project

After successfully completing the core modules, participants execute an in-company project, which allows them to translate their knowledge into business practice. Throughout this in-company project, participants leverage the knowledge and experience acquired during the programme in their own company. This project is carried out under the supervision of a faculty adviser and an internal company adviser. The scope of the project is defined in consultation with the company and the Vlerick promoter. The outcome of the project is a practical and relevant management report.