SIPOC

Why use it?

SIPOC is used to document a prcess at a high level and visually show the process, form suppliers’ inputs to the products or services received by customers.The name comes from the column headings on a SIPOC chart: Suppliers, Inputs,Process,Outputs,and Customers.

What does it do?

SIPOC:

l  Identifies process boundaries.

l  Identifies the customers and suppliers of a process.

l  Identifies the process inputs supplied by the suppliers and the process outputs used by the customer.

l  Helps in identifying data collection needs.

Components of a SIPOC

l  A process description is an explanation of a process that provides outputs to meet the needs of customers

l  The input and output boundaries define the start and stop boundaries of the process

l  The outputs are the “results” of the process.Special care should be taken to determine how these outputs relate to the customers’ expectations(CTSs)(i.e.,do they meet or exceed the customer requirements?).

l  The customers are the people who receive and put requirements on the outputs.Customers can be either internal or external;the SIPOC chart should be specific in documenting which.

l  Customer requirements and measures are the quantifiable expectations of the process outputs.The output must be measured and then compared to customer requirements to quantify customer satisfaction.

l  The inputs are what the process needs to function.

l  The input requirements and measures are the quantifiable expectations the process puts on the inputs.For a process to create outputs that meet the customer requirements, it must have inputs that meet speific requirement. The SIPOC should document what the process requires of the inputs that are received before the start of the process.

l  The suppliers provide the necessary inputs to the process.The SIPOC should be as specific as possible in documenting supplier information.For example, if a supplier is internal, the SIPOC should list the function and point of contact for the particular process input.

How do I do it?

The following figure shows the steps in creating a SIPOC.The numbers in the graphic correspond to the numbers of the steps that follow.

Creating a SIPOC

1.      Provide a description of the process.

2.      define the start and end of the process that the project is focused on.

3.      List the outputs of the process.

l  Requirements of the outputs should also be listed, as well as how requirements will be measured.

4.  List the customers of each process output.

5.      List the inputs required for the process, as well as how these inputs will be measured.

l  The quantifiable expectations of the process should also be listed.

6.      List the suppliers of the process

A SIPOC for a

Lecture Development Process

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