MIT Sloan School of Management
Business Process Design for Strategic Management
Create an organizational culture of continuous business improvement.
Start date
23 July 2025
Course duration
6 weeks
Excluding orientation
Language
English
Access resources from start date
Effort
5–7 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Course overview
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MIT Sloan Management Review (Nd). Accessed January 15, 2020.
Duration: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)
Unplanned events happen in all businesses — from communication breakdowns and financial shifts to tight turnaround times and employee disengagement.
The six-week Business Process Design for Strategic Management online short course, from the MIT Sloan School of Management, gives you access to the knowledge of thought leaders Nelson Repenning and Donald Kieffer. You’ll be introduced to Dynamic Work Design, a process improvement framework based on decades of industry practice and academic investigation. This unique methodology is based on improvement principles that enable successful integration with the existing culture, processes, and methods within an organization. The program explores the necessity of continuous change and the effectiveness of a dynamic approach to work design, while identifying opportunities for process improvement within your own business context.
Is this course for you?
This program is suited to business leaders who are looking to design and improve processes and formulate strategy that drives progress. It's similarly beneficial to managers who are interested in optimizing efficiency and facilitating problem-solving in their teams. Harnessing Dynamic Work Design principles, professionals will learn how to find solutions to issues and implement strategies for sustainable improvement in a range of industries. The course content is also relevant to Analysts, Consultants, and Specialists — especially those concerned with managing risk and change — as it provides insight into why certain improvement strategies fail. The approach delivers rapid results, ensuring little is needed in the way of overheads, training, or implementation, enabling feasible innovation for both small and large business structures. Essentially, anyone wanting to upskill themselves and improve in their role will find the concepts and methods covered useful.
Course overview
Introduction
Duration: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)
Unplanned events happen in all businesses — from communication breakdowns and financial shifts to tight turnaround times and employee disengagement.
The six-week Business Process Design for Strategic Management online short course, from the MIT Sloan School of Management, gives you access to the knowledge of thought leaders Nelson Repenning and Donald Kieffer. You’ll be introduced to Dynamic Work Design, a process improvement framework based on decades of industry practice and academic investigation. This unique methodology is based on improvement principles that enable successful integration with the existing culture, processes, and methods within an organization. The program explores the necessity of continuous change and the effectiveness of a dynamic approach to work design, while identifying opportunities for process improvement within your own business context.
Is this course for you?
This program is suited to business leaders who are looking to design and improve processes and formulate strategy that drives progress. It's similarly beneficial to managers who are interested in optimizing efficiency and facilitating problem-solving in their teams. Harnessing Dynamic Work Design principles, professionals will learn how to find solutions to issues and implement strategies for sustainable improvement in a range of industries. The course content is also relevant to Analysts, Consultants, and Specialists — especially those concerned with managing risk and change — as it provides insight into why certain improvement strategies fail. The approach delivers rapid results, ensuring little is needed in the way of overheads, training, or implementation, enabling feasible innovation for both small and large business structures. Essentially, anyone wanting to upskill themselves and improve in their role will find the concepts and methods covered useful.
Get this course for your team
Leading organisations recognise the value of this course and invest in it to enhance their employees' skills and expertise.
What will set you apart
An understanding of the principles and approaches that drive improvement, and the skills to apply them in your company.
Inquiry and evidence-based problem-solving skills for your teams, and methods and tools for improving processes.
The ability to integrate business targets and improvement activities to enable increased employee engagement and well-designed work.
Enhanced skills that you can apply in your organization, team, or role.Course curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
An introduction to Dynamic Work Design
Module 2
The four principles of Dynamic Work Design
Module 3
The problem statement
Module 4
Structured problem-solving
Module 5
Designing work for people
Module 6
Visual Management
Faculty Directors
Nelson Repenning
School of Management Distinguished Professor of System Dynamics and Organization Studies, MIT Sloan
Donald Kieffer
Senior Lecturer in Operations Management, MIT Sloan
About the certificate
Learn to improve business processes through Dynamic Work Design and earn an official digital certificate of completion from MIT Sloan.
This program also counts toward an MIT Sloan Executive Certificate, which you can earn upon completion of four programs where at least three of the four come from your chosen certificate track and at least one is completed in person. Find full details here.
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We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.
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Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.
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GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.
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