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Simplifying IT process work with SIPOCA step-by-step guide with template
SIPOC – a tool that helps us to summarize and document our processes
SIPOC came about during the 1980’s in the quality movement, and has since been applied in Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing and servicing, and business process mapping.
The name SIPOC comes simply from its five components; Supplier, Input, Process, Output and Customer.
A SIPOC diagram or table, simply summarizes these components, putting them in an understandable linear format. The purpose of SIPOC-diagrams is to create clearer understanding of our work, on a high-level overview, thereby giving us the opportunity to produce and improve.
Process improvement does not to be difficult or hocus-pocus consultant work. As in all improvement, most important is to get started! Let SIPOC help.
Good luck!
Jeff Schmitz
Because it helps us to create understanding, a SIPOC analysis is often a good first step in analyzing a work process. When ways of working are not effective, break them down by using the tool. Identify the S-I-P-O-C elements and start focusing on the areas that are unclear or incorrect. SIPOC will help you to:
• Document ways of working.• Identify critical input, output, and involved parties.• Recognize needs and areas of improvement.• Generate visual, easy-to-understand process illustrations.• Communicate a process and improvement needs to
others.
About the author Jeffrey Schmitz
Jeffrey is a Senior consultant in IT management and change management. Founder and partner at Onbird, Jeffrey leads training, workshops and speaking engagements. His areas of expertise are IT service management, change management, Lean IT, procurement, project management and process work.
Jeffrey’s work has been with both private and public organizations – among them Proffice and Intelliplan in the staffing industry, a number of municipalities, Vinnova, museums Nordiska and Historiska Museet, Telia, Bonnier News and SSAB. Jeffrey was born in Minnesota, USA and has lived in Sweden for more than 20 years.
Example of SIPOC
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
End user
Customer representative
Developer
Line Manager
Incident ticket – application doesn’t work
Complaint – poor delivery of servicing
Request for change – new feature
Service request – new workstation
Incident Management
Manage and resolve complaints
Change Management
Request fulfilment – workstation delivery
Workaround – restart session within 5 minutes
Credit or fix – resolution accept by supplier
Successful change – feature deployed within 48 hours
Approved work-station functional within 72 hours
End user
Customer representative
Customer and end user
End user
SIPOC – step by step guide
SIPOC is a diagramming tool that helps us to summarize and document our processes. SIPOC came about during the 1980’s in the quality movement, and has since been applied in Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing and servicing, and business process mapping.
The five components of SIPOC are relatively self-explanatory. The name SIPOC comes simply from its five components – Supplier, Input, Process, Output and Customer.
A SIPOC diagram or table summarizes these components, putting them in an understandable, linear format. The purpose of SIPOC-diagrams is to create clearer understanding of our work, on a high-level overview, thereby giving us the opportunity to produce and improve.
Before we get started
SIPOC diagrams are best constructed with a table, spreadsheet, whiteboard or our attached template. Identify the process, routine, system or way of working that you want to analyze and get started.
While a linear diagram, don’t get hung up on completing each step in perfect order. Jump between the SIPOC elements freely, allowing yourself to complete them as the information is gathered.
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
End user
Customer representative
Developer
Line Manager
Incident ticket – application doesn’t work
Complaint – poor delivery of servicing
Request for change – new feature
Service request – new workstation
Incident Management
Manage and resolve complaints
Change Management
Request fulfilment – workstation delivery
Workaround – restart session within 5 minutes
Credit or fix – resolution accept by supplier
Successful change – feature deployed within 48 hours
Approved work-station functional within 72 hours
End user
Customer representative
Customer and end user
End user
Step 1 – SupplierIdentify the suppliers of each input. These are the people, roles and parties that give the trigger to the process. They might be many and can be internal or external to your organization.
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
End user
Customer representative
Developer
Line Manager
Incident ticket – application doesn’t work
Complaint – poor delivery of servicing
Request for change – new feature
Service request – new workstation
Incident Management
Manage and resolve complaints
Change Management
Request fulfilment – workstation delivery
Workaround – restart session within 5 minutes
Credit or fix – resolution accept by supplier
Successful change – feature deployed within 48 hours
Approved work-station functional within 72 hours
End user
Customer representative
Customer and end user
End user
Step 2 – InputThis is the process trigger. This should be concrete and tangible. Examples might be an order, a ticket, a request or a change.
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
End user
Customer representative
Developer
Line Manager
Incident ticket – application doesn’t work
Complaint – poor delivery of servicing
Request for change – new feature
Service request – new workstation
Incident Management
Manage and resolve complaints
Change Management
Request fulfilment – workstation delivery
Workaround – restart session within 5 minutes
Credit or fix – resolution accept by supplier
Successful change – feature deployed within 48 hours
Approved work-station functional within 72 hours
End user
Customer representative
Customer and end user
End user
Step 3 – ProcessWe started with the process for analysis – at this point confirm that it is still relevant to the suppliers and inputs that you’ve generated. Develop the important process steps, use verb + noun phrases. Keep them limited to no more than five process steps.
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
End user
Customer representative
Developer
Line Manager
Incident ticket – application doesn’t work
Complaint – poor delivery of servicing
Request for change – new feature
Service request – new workstation
Incident Management
Manage and resolve complaints
Change Management
Request fulfilment – workstation delivery
Workaround – restart session within 5 minutes
Credit or fix – resolution accept by supplier
Successful change – feature deployed within 48 hours
Approved work-station functional within 72 hours
End user
Customer representative
Customer and end user
End user
Step 4 – OutputUpon successful processing of the input, what result should be generated? Again, strive for concrete, tangible and specific results. Examples might be a delivery, a resolution or a performed change.
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
End user
Customer representative
Developer
Line Manager
Incident ticket – application doesn’t work
Complaint – poor delivery of servicing
Request for change – new feature
Service request – new workstation
Incident Management
Manage and resolve complaints
Change Management
Request fulfilment – workstation delivery
Workaround – restart session within 5 minutes
Credit or fix – resolution accept by supplier
Successful change – feature deployed within 48 hours
Approved work-station functional within 72 hours
End user
Customer representative
Customer and end user
End user
Step 5 – CustomerThe customer is the recipient of valuable process output. Again, these are people, roles and parties, both internal or external to your organization.
Tip 1 Don’t forget S, I, O and C
Many want to jump straight to Process and its details. There is merit to the pull of Process, but do be clear about inputs and outputs, as well as the parties (supplier and customer) to whom they belong.
I suggest, in a 60-minute process meeting, spending 5 minutes on supplier-input and 5 minutes on output-customer. I am continually surprised by the number of “a-ha’s” that arise when we do so. Two recurring realizations:
1. Crystal clear output ensures better process work – be sure to define success. It’s not enough to “just do work”, we want to transform input to valuable output. Clear output is our definition of success, our definition of done.
2. Our SIPOC customer is often the next person in line (and not necessarily the end customer). This is not only ok, but important. Our service deliveries are almost always a product of teamwork. If our piece of the delivery chain is not successful, the entire process delivery risks failure.
Tip 2 K.I.S.S.
(keep it simple stupid)
SIPOC reminds us that we are looking at a high level here and the rule-of-thumb is no more than five process steps. Yeah, I know your work is complicated, but to have any chance of creating understanding beyond your own brain, simplify it. Get it down to five steps. If it is absolutely necessary to document more detail, break it out as sub-steps. An incident process example might be:
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
End userIncident ticket – application doesn’t work
End userWorkaround – restart session within 5 minutes
End user
Respond to ticket
Close ticketDiagnose 1
incident
Resolve with solution or
workaround
Escalate/ Diagnose 2
incident
Identify Log PrioritizeCategorize
Tip 3 Use and improve
When completed, the SIPOC diagram is an invaluable tool for improvement work. It provides a visual, understandable illustration of a work process and lends to constructive workshops, discussions and improvement efforts. Involve suppliers, customers, owners and other involved parties in identifying improvements and moving forward.
S I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
template by
SUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMERS I P O CSUPPLIER INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT CUSTOMER
template by
(Breakout details to sub-process if necessary.)
Learn moreContact us if you have questions and want more help with your SIPOC and process work.
For training in Lean IT and SIPOC, consider a Lean IT Foundation course. This course will orient you in Lean Principles and provide concrete practice in SIPOC and Value Stream Analysis.
See also our Birdview blog for more on IT management, Lean IT, DevOps and Change Management.
web and blog www.onbird.se email [email protected]
