Quality and Process Management

​This communication course teaches the business writing skills needed to produce effective business and technical reports: inspection, trip, incident, and progress reports, proposals, feasibility studies, formal reports, oral reports, summaries and graphics. NOTE: COMM 2203 is equivalent to COMM 2003. Although COMM 2003 may not be included on the program course list or program matrix, students may choose either COMM 2003 or COMM 2203 for their program. Students do not need to take COMM 2203 if they take COMM 2003. To make up for a full-time diploma program level 2 COMM course, students must take both COMM 2202 (or COMM 2002) and COMM 2203 (or COMM 2003). Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English requirements. Students scoring below "C+" in level 1 COMM are encouraged to take COMM 2003 instead of COMM 2203. ​
Prerequisite(s):

• A final grade of 70%+ in COMM 1100 or COMM 1103 or COMM 1106 or equivalent.

Quality impacts every aspect of the operations of a company, therefore managing processes and the quality of their outputs is an essential responsibility of any organization that wants to succeed in business and provide true customer satisfaction. This course introduces the basic concepts and tools of quality management systems for manufacturing and service industries. Students learn a general overview of quality management topics and process approach: basic concepts of quality control and quality assurance; quality systems and their impact in an organization to ensure consistency of product and/or service reliability and quality; process definition and control; problem solving; standards for quality management systems; inspection operations; lean tools introduction; and quality costs. Using real case studies via in-class exercises and assignments, students will have the opportunity for practical application of concepts.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​This course teaches students a variety of skills including project definition, WBS, SOW, activity development, network diagrams, three-time estimate method to assess risk and schedule a project, resource levelling, time cost trade-offs and estimating, earned value, reporting and progress measurement during project, project termination and the role of project personnel. This course is based on the Project Management Institute (PMI)® Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and can be used as credit towards the BCIT Associate Certificate in Project Management www.bcit.ca/study/programs/5085acert. PMI® and PMBOK® are trademarks of PMI®
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

Educates the student on the importance of managing operations across all industries by presenting the fundamentals in productivity improvement based on a systematic, scientific problem solving methods. Includes economic feasibility, recording techniques, assembly and analysis of data, critical examination, the development and selection of alternative solutions. Case materials explore applications to manufacturing, warehouse, office, materials management and general management. Students uncomfortable with basic algebra applications are encouraged to take OPMT 0199 prior to the course.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

Quality planning is a critical element of delivering products and services that meet and exceed customer requirements. This course covers the basic elements of quality planning and control in both manufacturing and service organizations. Topics include the meaning of quality, customer requirements, quality systems and the context for quality planning, design for quality, quality plans, process control techniques, and documentation for quality systems.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

Continuous improvement is an organized approach to identifying opportunities for improvement that can help an organization meet its goals for increasing profits, reducing costs, and accelerating innovation.  The approach is also used to enhance the quality of a product or service, and to improve safety. This course presents to Business Operations Management students & Project Management students basics of continuous process improvement via PDCA methodology. PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) is a systematic approach to an ongoing review of workflows and outcomes to identify ways to improve them both. An emphasis will be placed on team problem solving approaches and the development of teamwork skills.  This course provides an ideal foundation for students aspiring to pursue further education in continuous improvement via Lean, Kaizen or Six Sigma. 
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in OPMT 1198

​This course explores the key requirements of a quality management system using the ISO 9000 International Standards for quality management and quality assurance systems. The series consists of ISO 9000, 9001 and 9004. In addition, the course will define and explain the current ISO 9001:2015 standard with emphasis on the high-level clauses of Annex SL. Topics include the purpose and requirements of the ISO Standards, assessment of existing company operations relating to the standards, and steps required for implementation and registration to the ISO 9001 Standard.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Learn the principles and applications for a variety of quality system audits. Students engage in practicing audit skills that apply to real world applications by utilizing the power of small groups to plan, schedule, and report on audit results. Part of working in audit environments is dealing with opposing views or conflict; work to develop techniques for de-escalation and conflict resolution. Individual and group assignments enable applying a range of audit tactics in common use that prepare students for audits by major suppliers, customers, and agencies.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​For the contemporary quality professionals, it is important to understand all the process interactions and business elements impacting an organization, such as competitive advantage, internal and external forces, corporate social responsibility, disruptive technology, and increasing economic, social and operational changes. Developing the ability to comprehend modern organizations and support strategic plans to manage their agile development is key in the current global business environment. This course is intended to tie the outcomes from the quality and process management program together to provide the structure of requirements necessary to effectively support all operations in an organization. Students demonstrate competency through a range of applied assignments and examinations.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in OPMT 1106 or 50% in OPMT 1198

Citizens, consumers, regulatory agencies, NGOs, and employees are increasingly demanding change in the social and environmental impacts of businesses and organizations. Business has entered a new era where success is based on the value returned to all stakeholders. As a result, businesses are building social equity and planetary boundaries into their strategy and business models. This course provides students with foundational knowledge of sustainable business theory and practices. It covers the core functional areas of a business (accounting, management, marketing, and operations). Students learn how these core functions are transforming to address the sustainability imperative.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course explores various frameworks and practical techniques in cross-cultural management in the global context. It exposes students to issues and problems that inevitably arise in international business when managers have to deal with culturally determined differences in values, attitudes and behaviours. The course assists students in developing intercultural competence, leadership and negotiation skills to successfully solve problems and gain on opportunities in a multicultural environment. While discovering own cultural identity and learning to identify cultural aspects of verbal and nonverbal behaviour of persons from different cultures, students come to recognize cultural differences that create challenging management situations. Specific topics include understanding the foundations of culture and cultural frameworks; motivation, leadership and decision making across cultures; negotiation and conflict resolution in global business settings; understanding organisational culture; leading multicultural teams and culturally diverse organisations. Students apply the acquired knowledge and gain relevant skills during hands-on activities such as scenario-based discussions and case studies.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

Includes descriptive statistics, including numerical and graphical presentation of data, measures of central tendency, dispersion and elementary probabilities. Introduction to several discrete and continuous probability distributions . Introduction to inferential statistics through selected topics such as sampling, confidence limits of the mean, hypotheses testing, simple linear regression and the chi-squared test for independence.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Students in this course will focus on agile project methodologies for software development. Web and mobile technologies require face paced development in an environment where requirements evolve and change frequently. Students in this course will be introduced to the history and rationale of agile project management, as well as the required roles and environment necessary for agile teams to be successful. Student in the course will learn how agile project operate, the impact of agile on project areas such as scope, schedule, cost, quality and risk, including the reporting and resources required to manage agile projects. Finally, students will develop an understanding of the benefits of agile project management when applied in an appropriate setting.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course presents and examines inventory concepts as applied in manufacturing and distribution environments and the inter-relationships between them. It covers the following: objectives, planning levels, demand types, forecasting, order point systems, MRP, different costing types, ABC analysis, purchasing, capacity and warehouse controls. Students will be encouraged to apply these concepts at their workplaces.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course is the first of 2 courses (also OPMT2710 - Lean Leadership) that will give the student the basic understanding of lean. Combined the two courses will deliver the Lean Body of Knowledge that prepares the student to write the ASQ/AME/Shingo Institute/SME Lean Bronze Certification exam. Lean used to be referred to as "Lean Manufacturing". It has since been proven that Lean is not just a "shop floor" thing. Lean applies in every type of business. This first course introduces the student to Lean Enterprise concepts, how and why it evolved and many of the tools used within a Lean Environment.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

Understanding and delivering on stakeholder needs is the ultimate objective of all projects. Measuring performance and completeness of deliverables is at the core of project quality management. This must happen in the context of an uncertain environment. The ability to identify and manage this uncertainty is critical to success. This course will examine the methodologies and tools used to manage project quality and risk.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in OPMT 1187

Effective management of information and human resources are essential to project success. Project managers spend much of their time communicating with project stakeholders, both internal and external and at all levels of an organization. Effective project communication relies on clearly understanding and responding to project stakeholders’ communication needs. Project team members have varied skill sets, assignments, and time horizons; they also have different needs, perspectives and influences. Building and managing an effective and efficient project team requires careful planning to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in place at the right time, and that those people are managed effectively throughout their involvement in the project. This course will provide you with the foundational skills to effectively manage project communications and project teams throughout the project lifecycle.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in OPMT 1187

Building on several courses, this course explores the Theory of Constraints (TOC) Body of Knowledge in greater detail. The Theory of Constraints (TOC) focuses on an organization’s constraints and many organizations have been able to make significant improvements in their performance in a short period of time. TOC is recognized as a vital part of an organization’s operations strategy. Students will use a computer simulation to learn the TOC and the drum-buffer-rope approach to synchronizing business operations.
Prerequisite(s):

• OPMT 2175 and OPMT 2340