Stage 2: Process Analysis

Before you begin work on this assignment, be sure you have read the Case Study and reviewed the feedback received on your Stage 1 assignment.

Overview

As the business analyst in the CIO’s department of Maryland Technology Consulting (MTC), your next task in developing your Business Analysis and System Recommendation (BA&SR) Report is to conduct a process analysis.  This will identify how the current manual process is working and what improvements could be made to the process that would be supported by a technology solution.

Assignment – BA&SR:  Section II.  Process Analysis

The first step is to review any feedback from Stage 1 to help improve the effectiveness of your overall report and then add the new section to your report.  Only content for Stage 2 will be graded for this submission.  Part of the grading criteria for Stage 4 includes evaluating if the document is a very effective and cohesive assemblage of the four sections, is well formatted and flows smoothly from one section to the next.  For this assignment, you will add Section II of the Business Analysis and System Recommendation (BA&SR) Report to Section I. You will conduct an analysis of the current hiring process and present information on expected business improvements.  This analysis lays the ground work for Section III. Requirements of the BA&SR Report (Stage 3 assignment) which will identify MTC’s requirements for a system.

Using the case study, assignment instructions, Content readings, and external research, develop your Section II. Process Analysis.   The case study tells you that the executives and employees at MTC have identified a need for an effective and efficient hiring system.  As you review the case study, use the assignment instructions to take notes to assist in your analysis.  As the stakeholders provide their needs and expectations to improve the process, identify steps that could be improved with the support of a hiring system.  Also look for examples of issues and problems that can be improved with a technology solution. 

Use the outline format, headings and tables provided and follow all formatting instructions below. 

Begin with your Section I (Stage 1 assignment) and add Section II.  Apply specific information from the case study to address each area along with relevant supporting research.

1. Process Analysis
2. Hiring Process

At the beginning of this section, write an introductory opening sentence for this section that addresses what the complete table provides.  Refer to Week 3 and 4 content on processes and analyzing process improvements.  Additional research can expand your knowledge of these areas.

The first step in analyzing the process is to document what the current process steps are and who is responsible for doing them. Therefore, the table provides the current steps in the manual hiring process provided by the case study. Remember, a process is a series of steps to perform a task; therefore, think about what the users are doing as part of the hiring process. Retain the as-is process steps provided; do not remove or revise these.  Complete the second column by identifying the stakeholder responsible for this step based on the interviews in the MTC Case.

The next step is to identify how a hiring or applicant tracking system could improve each step in the process and how the business will benefit from that improvement. For each of the as-is process steps provided, complete the To-Be Process column in the table. indicating how this step in the process will be done using the hiring or applicant tracking system. For each process step, the statement should be concise and include an action verb and align with improving or replacing the current manual, as-is process step provided.  Then complete the Business Benefits of the Improved Process column by explaining how this part of the process can contribute to the overall business strategy – think at a higher level than the specific process step.  Review the examples provided in the Hiring Process table. For each to-be process step, identify the result of using the system, as shown in the two examples.  While it is true that the system will speed up each step of the process, think about how MTC would benefit more strategically from using an automated system to perform that step.

The first row and last rows have been completed for you as an example and must be retained and not revised.  Be sure your table contains a total of 12 steps.  Use the examples to help you provide clear to-be process steps and business benefits.  Your responses should be written in complete sentences.

1. Expected Improvements – As noted in the case study, there are a lot of manual processes, overwhelming paperwork, difficulty scheduling interviews, etc. related to MTC’s current manual hiring process.  A technology solution can address many of these issues.  For each of the areas listed in the table below, provide an example of an issue from the case study and how a technology solution could be used to improve that area.  Issues and improvements should be addressed in 1-2 clear, complete sentences with information incorporated from the case study.  The first one is provided as an example.  Note:  This is not about the stakeholders’ wishes or expectations for the new system but identifying the current issues they have.  Some may be explicitly stated in the interviews and for others you may need to apply some critical thinking.  (Provide an introductory sentence and copy the table and insert information within.)  For explanations of these areas, refer to Week 4 content on analyzing process improvements.  Additional research can expand your knowledge of these areas.