Continuous Improvement Toolkit
SIPOC Analysis
S I P O C
www.citoolkit.com
The Continuous Improvement Map
Managing Selecting & Decision Making Planning & Project Management*
Risk PDPC Break-even Analysis Importance Urgency Matrix Daily Planning PERT/CPM
FMEA RAID Log* Quality Function Deployment Cost Benefit Analysis MOST RACI Matrix Activity Networks
Risk Analysis* Payoff Matrix Delphi Method TPN Analysis SWOT Analysis Stakeholder Analysis
Fault Tree Analysis Decision Tree Pick Chart Voting Four Field Matrix Project Charter Improvement Roadmaps
Traffic Light Assessment Critical-to X Force Field Analysis Portfolio Matrix
PDCA Policy Deployment Gantt Charts
Kano Decision Balance Sheet Paired Comparison
Lean Measures OEE DMAIC Kaizen Events Control Planning
Cost of Quality* Pugh Matrix Prioritization Matrix
Process Yield A3 Thinking Standard Work Document control
Project KPIs KPIs Pareto Analysis Matrix Diagram
Understanding
Best Practices Implementing
Capability Indices
Descriptive Statistics Chi-Square Nonparametric
Cause & Effect TPM Automation Solutions***
Gap Analysis*
Probability Distributions Hypothesis Mistake Proofing Health & Safety
ANOVA DOE
Bottleneck Analysis
Histograms Normal Distribution Multivariate Multi-vari Studies Simulation Just in Time 5S
Reliability MSA Graphical Methods Scatter Plots Correlation Regression Quick Changeover Visual Management
Understanding Run Charts 5 Whys Product Family Matrix Flow Pull
Root Cause Analysis Data Mining
Performance**
Control Charts Fishbone Diagrams Relations Mapping SIPOC* Spaghetti** Process Redesign
Benchmarking***
Data collection planner* Sampling How-How Diagram*** Tree Diagram* Waste Analysis** Value Stream Mapping**
Check Sheets** Interviews Brainstorming SCAMPER*** Attribute Analysis Value Analysis** Process Mapping
Questionnaires Focus Groups Affinity Diagrams Morphological Analysis Flow Process Charts** Time Value Map**
Data Observations Mind Mapping* Lateral Thinking Flowcharting IDEF0 Service Blueprints
Collection Suggestion Systems Five Ws Group Creativity Designing & Analyzing Processes
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
A high-level summary of the process
Allows to provide an overview of a process at a glance
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
SIPOC analysis provides a big picture view of the
important elements of the process to better
understand the context in which it operates
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
A data collection tool for gathering information related
to a process including customers, suppliers, inputs and
outputs
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
Represents the main components of the process
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Widely used in process design and improvement initiatives
(such as Six Sigma) to defines the scope of a project when
it is too early for a detailed process mapping
1 2 3 4
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Used to identify important elements of a process
before starting a project
DMAIC Kaizen Events
Also used when defining and designing new processes
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
SIPOC analysis can be used before drawing a process
map or a flowchart as it helps gather relevant
information about the process
S I P O C 10 20 30
60 50 40
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
SIPOC analysis can also be used when investigating a
process to present the collected information on an
easy-to-view format
S I P O C
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
It is a practical way of making sense of the
Voice of the Customer
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Benefits
Help ensure everyone understands the Helps communicate information about
core process the process to other stakeholders
Helps define the scope of work for a Helps identify the areas that are within
project or beyond the control of the team
Helps understand the relationships Helps to begin thinking in terms of
between the inputs and outputs cause and effect
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
SIPOC Map
Helps specify the main activities of the process and
identify the potential suppliers, inputs, outputs,
and customers
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
SUPPLIERS
Any person or company that
supplies inputs
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
INPUTS
The materials, energy,
information, people, customer
requirement, customer
feedback, and financial
resources which are needed to
execute the process
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
PROCESS
The collection of activities
that together transform
inputs into outputs that is of
value to the customer
These are just the major high-level process activities
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
OUTPUTS
The tangible product or
service that results from the
process
Outputs can be goods, services, information, reports, decisions, …
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
CUSTOMERS
The person or company that
receives the outputs of the
process
Customers have requirements to be fulfilled
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
CUSTOMERS
There may be many
stakeholders who have
something at stake in the
success of the process.
They don’t have to be actual
customers of the process
Obtain input from the primary users/recipients of the process
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
Resource Resources needed Macro Process Process
suppliers by the process description outputs customers
The provider of Materials, people, The sequenced The product or The users /
the necessary information, and activities that service results recipients of the
inputs that other resources transform the from the process outputs
directly contribute required to input into value- (wanted and
to creating the execute the added outputs to unwanted)
outputs process customers
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Suppliers and customers may be external or internal
to the organization or department
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
You receive inputs from your internal suppliers and send outputs to your
internal customers
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
SIPOC doesn't ask to provide links between suppliers
and inputs, or customers and outputs
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Process inputs can be reviewed based on the voice of
the customer feedback on whether the outputs met
their requirements
Customer Feedback
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
SIPOC analysis helps the team to identify potential gaps
such as unnecessary inputs, outputs that customers
don’t want, and process steps that add no value
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
EXAMPLE – Submit and Implement an Idea Process
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
Employees Idea description Submit an idea Implemented Departments
Improvement
Evaluation panel Estimated benefits Review and Employees
evaluate the idea Appreciation letter
Costs or reward HR team
Implement the
Evaluation criteria idea Records
Report results
Appreciate /
reward employee
Representing the process and its key elements in a tabular format
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
EXAMPLE – Submit and Implement an Idea Process
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
Employees Idea description Submit and Implemented Departments
Implement an Improvement
Evaluation panel Estimated benefits Idea Employees
Appreciation letter
Costs or reward HR team
Evaluation criteria HR records
Review and Implement the Appreciate /
Submit an idea Report results
evaluate the idea idea reward employee
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
EXAMPLE – Purchase a Car Process
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
Dealers Models Determine car Car Individuals
Individuals Specifications option Payment Companies
Price Review Paperwork
specifications
Availability Service contract
Test drive
Delivery date
Negotiate price
Sign paperwork
Collect car
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
EXAMPLE – Purchase a Car Process
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
Dealers Models Purchase a Car Car Individuals
Individuals Specifications Payment Companies
Price Paperwork
Availability Service contract
Delivery date
Determine car Review Negotiate Sign
Test drive Collect car
option specifications price paperwork
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
EXAMPLE – Conduct a Job Interview Process
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
Job agencies Interview purpose Notify applicant of Interview notes Recruitment team
schedule
Job applicants Applicant profile Updated applicant Departments
Notify interview profile
Interview place panel
Time and date Prepare questions
Arrange room
Meet applicant
Ask questions
Close interview
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
EXAMPLE – Conduct a Job Interview Process
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
Job agencies Interview purpose Conduct a Job Interview notes Recruitment team
Interview
Job applicants Applicant profile Updated applicant Departments
profile
Interview place
Time and date
Notify Notify
Prepare Arrange Meet Close
applicant of interview Ask questions
questions room applicant interview
schedule panel
If there are more than seven steps, then the process is too detailed!
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
Clearly explain the purpose for creating the SIPOC map
Emphasize that the map must represent the situation as
it exist, now how it should be
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
Hang out five flip-charts representing the five SIPOC categories
Allow the team to provide inputs on each of the five
elements
S I P O C
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
Begin with the process by listing the key highest-level steps
Start with verbs whenever possible
S I P O C
Xxxx
Xxx
Xxxxx
Xxx
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
Identify the primary outputs of the process
Identify customers who will receive outputs
S I P O C
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx Xxx
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxx
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
Identify the inputs required for the process to function properly
Identify the suppliers of those inputs
S I P O C
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxx
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxx Xxx
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
Take time to ensure the appropriateness and
completeness of the recorded information
Discuss the SIPOC map with key stakeholders to verify
accuracy
S I P O C
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxx
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxx Xxx
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
Identify KPIs to ensure the capability of the process to
deliver an output that meets customer requirements
S I P O C
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxx
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxx Xxx
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
How to Construct a SIPOC Map
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
5 4 Where does 2 3
the process start?
Who supplies What inputs What are the Who are the
each input? are needed by process customers of
the process to 1 outputs? each output?
meet the
customers' What is the
expectations? process?
Where does it
process finish?
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Useful Questions
SUPPLIERS INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS CUSTOMERS
❖ Where does the ❖ Identify what is ❖ What are you ❖ What product ❖ Who are the
inputs of the needed for the producing with does the process customers of
process come process? the process? make? these outputs?
from?
❖ What effect do ❖ At what points ❖ What other ❖ Are they
❖ How do you the inputs have does the process outputs does the individuals,
communicate on the process start and finish? process make? departments,
requirements to and on the other processes?
the suppliers? outputs? ❖ How can you
summarize the ❖ What are the
❖ How do they process in few customers needs
affect the process steps (seven steps & requirements?
flow? or less)?
❖ What do the
❖ What are the ❖ Does the process customers expect
requirements for feed into another from each
each input? process? output?
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Further Information
In your SIPOC analysis, you have created a top-level process
map showing the basic steps of the process
S I P O C
You may add the details to the process map that you will draw later
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Further Information
Sometimes it is useful to display on the SIPOC map guides
to describe the process, and the resources that are
required to transform the inputs into outputs
Guides
Policies, procedures, specification, legislation, standards, objectives and targets
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
Resources
People, equipment, hardware, software, systems, tools and facilities
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Further Information
Another SIPOC model is the SIPOC+CM
C stands for the constraints facing the process
M stands for the measures being used
Constraints
Such as the shortage in human resources or limited funds
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
Measures
Such as the number of defects or defective units
www.citoolkit.com
SIPOC Analysis
Further Information
The IPO is a simpler model that represents a simpler
structure for describing a process
(widely used in the IT industry)
Inputs Process Outputs
www.citoolkit.com
