Word count: 4000 words

Business Process and Data Analysis

Assignment
Weighting of assessment: 100% total marks
Word Limits: 4000 Words
Aim(s)
This module is designed to enable the student to develop a critical appreciation of a range of business
process and data analysis approaches and to explore key contemporary issues regarding their application
in organisations.
Learning outcomes covered
• Critically evaluate, and reflexively apply, methods, techniques and tools for assessing,
controlling and improving organisational processes and data;
• Critically demonstrate an appreciation of issues relating to the analysis of business
processes and data in Organisations;
• Synthesise information and create appropriate visual representations of their analysis via
use of an appropriate tool.

Assignment Brief
Task 01:
HR Business Process Redesign and Change Management
As the fourth industrial revolution unfolding amidst continuing global competition with potential access
to global talent via new channels, high mobility of workers, normalization of hybrid working models, the
rise of networked teams, emergence of ‘millennial’-majority workforces, and increasing access to enabling
technologies [e.g. Talent Analytics tools, RPA, IPA, GenAI ] ,many businesses across the globe now are
rethinking on their HR operating models and poised to undertake a major rehaul of their current HR
practices and processes.

“76% of HR leaders believe that if their organization does not adopt and implement AI solutions,
such as generative AI, in the next 12 to 24 months, they will be lagging in organizational success
compared to those that do.” (Gartner, 2024)

In this backdrop, assume your organisation too is rethinking of its HR processes and you as a Senior BA
has been tasked with identifying opportunities for significant gain and redesigning of the HR processes
for higher performance. [ NB: Students can choose a listed PLC if they so wish instead of their own
organisation for Task 01 ]

1.a) Map the selected organisation’s current HR processes with the aid of a high-level Use Case Diagram
to provide an overview model of the HR department functions/services. (05 marks)
1.b) Briefly evaluate the process health for each of the processes captured in the high-level Use Case
Diagram AND identify one process that could substantially benefit from a Business Process Redesign
initiative by clearly outlining your justification for prioritising the specific process for redesigning (07
marks)
1.c) Identify all relevant stakeholders of this process redesign project and analyse the stakeholder
power/interest dynamics with an extended Power/Interest Grid (05 marks)

1.d) Prepare stakeholder management plan for the Sponsor of this process redesign project (05 marks)

1.e) With the aid of a Swimlane diagram map the present process The As-is process model should capture
end to end activities involved in the process (07 marks)

1.f) Provide comprehensive process description with the aid of ‘Use Case description’ for the process
mapped under previous task (1.e) (06 marks)

1.g) Taking advantage of the recent developments in technology and incorporating other relevant process
improvement measures envision a process redesign solution:
1.g.1) outline targeted and feasible suggestions with specific methods of improvements for
optimising the said process performance (04 marks)

1.g.2) map that envisioned To-be process with the aid of a Swimlane diagram. (07 marks)
1.h) Provide comprehensive process description with the aid of ‘Use Case description’ for the complete
process mapped under previous task (1.g.2) (06 marks)

1.i) With the aid of suitable change management models / techniques outline how the transition from the
present process to the proposed redesigned process could be successfully carried out. (08 marks)

Task 02: Gaining competitive advantage with applied analytics

2.a) write (separate) short essays for each topic listed below:
1. Social media sentiment analysis
2. Process mining
3. Intelligent Process Automation (IPA)

Each essay should cover the following elements:

• Explanation of the underlying technical concept(s) (3x 2 marks)
• Discussion on potential business use cases (minimum Two) across diverse areas (3x 2
marks)
• Discussion of ‘real-world’ business use of successful implementation(s) (minimum One)
with details on: the specific technical solution implemented and associated costs & benefits,
technical, ethical limitations or risks (3x 4 marks)
(24 marks)

2.b) develop a functional prototype (using R /Python programming language) as a technical proof of
concept to demonstrate the potential business value of Cluster Analysis.

Discuss the developed prototype within your report and separately upload the well commented R script
file and the used dataset along with your assignment submission. Your discussion should include the
following:
The prototype should to be related to a specific (potential) business use case(s). Appropriate exploratory
data analysis and any preprocessing as warranted, explanation/interpretation of important code snippets
& outputs [e.g. cluster profiles but not limited to it], and appropriate visualisations expected.
(16 marks)
What to submit
4000 word length detailed report addressing each of the above tasks and upload well commented
working R Script for Task 2.b along with the used dataset to the given OneDrive folder.
Very important
You must use Harvard Referencing system throughout your work. Correct in-text referencing is
required and a full and correct reference list needs to be provided. Please note for academic
acceptance, it is important to refer to adequate sources in building critical arguments with regard
to this assignment. Generally, the lecturer expects minimum of 20 latest sources from accepted
recommended journals, required reading and recommended readings. For a list of required and
recommended reading, please refer the “Module Specification” section of the student handbook.

Marking Criteria
Task Indicative Marking Criteria Marks Breakdown Total Marks
Available on
Task
1.a Clear, comprehensive and semantically accurate
High-Level Use case diagram provided for the 05 05
task scope
1.b • Alignment (fit or otherwise) of key
HR processes to organization’s 04
mission & strategy [MOST], with
appropriate process metrices discussed 07
• Selection of process with adequate
scope for improvement and the 03
associated justification
1.c • Appropriate use of technique(s) to 02
identify all relevant stakeholders
• Power/interest dynamics captured 05
via Extended Power/Interest Grid 03

1.d Comprehensive stakeholder management plan for

the Sponsor in an appropriate format 05 05

1.e Clear, comprehensive and semantically accurate

Swimlane diagram to capture the present process; 07 07
highlighting key details [e.g. Bottlenecks]
1.f Comprehensive process description corresponding
06 06
to 1.e via Use Case description
1.g.1 Present process lapses and opportunities for
improvement clearly identified AND Suitable
methods for improvement outlined - 04 04
demonstrating knowledge in process redesign and
the novel use of technologies
1.g.2 Clear, comprehensive and semantically accurate
Swimlane diagram to capture the envisioned 07
07
 redesigned (To-be) process; highlighting key
improvements
1.h Comprehensive process description corresponding
06 06
to 1.g.2 via Use Case description
1.i An effective approach to change management for
the specific context, covering potential:
organizational change, individual change and any 08 08
system changeover with the use of appropriate
techniques
Attention: For Task 2.b you need to provide evidence through well commented code snippets,
results/output, visualizations accompanied with your interpretation/discussion as
appropriate in the “assignment report” itself
2.a Essays: - SA PM IPA
• Explanation of the underlying technical 02 02 02
concepts
• Discussion on potential business use 02 02 02
cases (minimum two)
• Discussion of real-world business use
of successful implementation(s) (minimum
one) with details on: the specific technical 04 04 04 24
solution implemented and associated costs
& benefits, technical, ethical limitations or
risks. [reference(s) expected]
Note: SA-Social Media Sentiment Analysis, PM- Process
Mining, IPA- Intelligent Process Automation
2.b • The prototype was convincingly 02
related to a specific (potential)
business use case.
• Appropriate exploratory data 04
analysis and any preprocessing as 06
warranted 16
• Explanation/interpretation of
important code snippets & outputs [e.g. 04
cluster profiles but not limited to it]
• Appropriate visualizations and
their interpretation
Total Marks Available 100
[Text Wrapping Break]Indicative breakdown of word count [Total word count 4000]
Task 1 – 2300 words
Task 2.a -1200 words
Task 2.b- 500 words [excluding code and comments]
REPORT STRUCTURE
▪ Paper Size : A4
▪ Word Count : 4000 words
▪ Printing Margins : LHS; RHS: 1 Inch
▪ Binding Margin : ½ Inch
▪ Header and Footer : 1 Inch
▪ Printing : Single Sided
▪ Basic Font Size : 12
▪ Font Style : Arial/Times New Roman
▪ Presentation : Bound Document

Important Information for Students

• The final version of your individual assignment softcopy needs to be uploaded
to the Turnitin via Cardiff Met Moodle before the deadline.

For TURNITIN submission please log on to www.cardiffmet.ac.uk and submit

through the Moodle.

• The final version of your individual assignment soft copy (word format only) must be
uploaded to ICBT SIS on or before the deadline.
Please log on to www.icbtsis.lk to upload your assignment.
The softcopy should be named as MBA_(subject number)_(followed by the Cardiff met student
ID.
E.g. for Delivering Successful Projects Assignment
MBA_7024 _2000000
▪ Students are expected to keep a backup of all the assignments. ICBT and Cardiff
Metropolitan University have all the right to re call for soft copy of any assignment at any time
during the course.
▪ Please note that plagiarism is treated as a serious offence and therefore the work you
produce must be individual and original although may work in groups in some instances
(Please refer to Student Handbook on Plagiarism & Cheating).
▪ All sources of information must be referenced using “Harvard referencing” where a
reference listing should be included at the end of the assignment.
▪ Please note that the submission date given for this assignment is the final date that you
can upload the assignment. No late submissions are allowed by the system.
▪ Please refer to Student Handbook on Assignments – Re-submission, mitigating
circumstances procedure.
▪ Please include the assignment coversheet and feedback sheet in your softcopy of the
assignment. Please avoid copying assignment question in your answer file.
▪ The submission instructions of Turnitin and ICBT SIS will be circulated a few weeks
before the submission deadline.