🎓 Open to All Graduates & Finance Students · FREE First Workshop for Every College · Individual Students Also Welcome
Data, Controls &
Process Improvement
in Operations
Great operations teams don't just process transactions — they continuously improve the processes behind them. This workshop teaches how investment banks manage data quality, design control frameworks, measure performance through KPIs, and drive systematic process improvement across operations.
About
What This Workshop Covers
This workshop focuses on the importance of operational data management, controls, and continuous process improvement in investment banking operations. Participants learn how operational efficiency and quality improvement are achieved — through structured data governance, control framework design, root cause analysis techniques, KPI-driven performance measurement, and proven improvement methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma. These skills apply across every operations function and are increasingly sought by banks looking for candidates who can do more than process transactions — candidates who can improve the processes themselves.
Topics
Fundamentals Covered
Data Management Principles
Data governance frameworks in banking — data ownership, data lineage, master data management (MDM), and why accurate reference data (security master, counterparty, SSI) is foundational to every operations workflow.
Operational Data Quality
The four dimensions of data quality — completeness, accuracy, timeliness, consistency — data quality assessment frameworks (DQAF), how data issues propagate downstream, and remediation workflow design.
Process Mapping Concepts
Swim-lane process diagrams, SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) frameworks, as-is vs to-be mapping, identifying manual touchpoints, and using process maps to find improvement opportunities.
Control Framework Design
Embedding controls into process design — preventive, detective, and corrective control types, control owner assignment, control testing schedules, gap analysis against a control standard, and RCSA linkage.
Root Cause Analysis
5 Whys technique, Fishbone (Ishikawa) cause-and-effect diagrams, fault tree analysis, and Pareto analysis — applied to real banking operations failures like settlement breaks, reconciliation errors, and reporting breaches.
Process Improvement Techniques
Lean principles — value vs waste, the 8 wastes (TIMWOODS) in banking operations, value stream mapping, kaizen events — and Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control) applied to operations improvement projects.
KPI and Performance Metrics
Designing operations KPIs — STP rate, error rate per 1,000 transactions, break ageing profile, settlement fail rate, reconciliation completion time — target-setting, RAG status, and using KPI trends to identify systemic issues.
Error Reduction Strategies
Poka-yoke (error-proofing) in process design, checklist-driven controls, automated validation gates, dual-entry verification, and how global banks have reduced processing error rates through structured error reduction programmes.
Operational Governance
Governance structures for operations — daily BAU oversight, management action tracking, governance committee reporting, policy and procedure ownership, and how governance frameworks ensure accountability across operations teams.
Reporting and Monitoring
Operations MI pack design — daily, weekly, and monthly reporting cadences, dashboard design principles, exception-based reporting, and how management information drives decisions and investment in process improvement.
Outcomes
Skills Developed
- Analytical thinking — structured problem-solving applied to operational data, process failures, and control gaps
- Data interpretation skills — reading operational data quality reports, KPI dashboards, and exception summaries
- Process improvement knowledge — Lean, Six Sigma DMAIC, root cause analysis, and value stream mapping
- Quality control understanding — how controls are designed, tested, and embedded into banking operations processes
- Operational efficiency awareness — identifying waste, measuring performance, and driving continuous improvement
First workshop is FREE for every college. Individual students are also welcome to register and attend at no cost for the first session.
Career Opportunities
Roles You Can Target
Book a Workshop
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