Course Content
Define
Identify the problem or process that needs improvement, set project goals, and outline the scope.
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Six Sigma Management at Corporate Level
Six Sigma Project Team Structure
Create team roles and responsibilities
Create a Problem Statement
Create the SIPOC process map
What is CTQ (Critical to Quality)
Create CTQ Tree
Creating a Project Charter
Stakeholder Analysis
Outcome expected after the Define Stage
Measure
Collect data to establish baselines, understand current performance, and quantify the problem. For example, measuring the average turnaround time for policy renewals.
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FMEA (Failure Modes and Effect Analysis) concept
Data collection methods
Introduction to data sampling
Use of Run chart for analysis
Analyze
Examine the data to identify root causes of inefficiencies or risks. This might involve analyzing claims data to uncover bottlenecks or sources of errors.
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5 Whys
Root cause analysis with Fishbone Diagram
Lean 7 Wastes concept
Value chain mapping with Value Stream map
What is a process
Components of process
Process Mapping with Swimlane diagram
Process redesign principles
80/20 analysis with Pareto Diagram
Statistical analysis with Box Plot
Hypothesis Testing
Correlation and Regression Analysis
Improve
Develop and implement solutions to address root causes. For example, streamlining workflows or introducing new digital tools to reduce manual errors.
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Solution Selection Matrix
Cost Benefit Analysis
Risk Assessment
Implementation Planning
Control
Put controls in place to sustain improvements, such as regular monitoring, updated procedures, or dashboards for ongoing performance tracking.
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Create Control Plan
Create Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
Prepare the Process and User Guides
Handover to Process Owner
Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)

SIPOC stands for Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, and Customers

  • Suppliers are the people, processes or organizations that supply inputs to the process
  • Customers are the people, processes or organizations that make use of the outputs of your process.
  • The process is a series of steps that take the inputs and make them outputs.

 

Why SIPOC

The SIPOC diagram is used for understanding process components and process relevance, it is effective and easy to use. 

SIPOC diagrams are also scalable. It can be used to diagram an entire business, or business processes at a very granular level.

 

When to use SIPOC technique

As SIPOC process mapping is easy to use and very scalable, it is often use at the beginning of Six Sigma initiatives when the team want to understand the high level overview of processes that is within the scope of the initiatives. 

The key concept behind the SIPOC is that a particular process should ultimately provide certain outputs/ services to the customers directly or indirectly (could be internal or external customers). If it does not do so, the usefulness of the process is questionable.

Similarly, a process would directly or indirectly requires inputs from Suppliers or Enablers for the process to be performed. By understanding the sources of the inputs, the potential issues of the process can be traced back to the root cause (source).

 

How to create a SIPOC process map

Step 1: Create Swim Lanes

A SIPOC diagram is based on swim lanes. Swim lanes let you know how cross-functional activities and resources relate to your processes. A SIPOC diagram has five lanes: Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers.

Step 2: Set Boundaries and Name Your Process

It is important to set a definition of where the process and responsibility of the SIPOC diagram begins and ends. If the scope is not defined, the SIPOC session can get out of hand and not producing the outputs that are meaningful.

For the example given above, the scope for the SIPOC exercise is defined to be for the Product Marketing Department of a company.

Step3: Complete Swim Lanes

The SIPOC swim lanes can be completed in any order. It is normally recommended the data be entered in the following order:

  • Process
  • Outputs
  • Customers
  • Inputs
  • Suppliers

Having said that, if we look at the example above, for a Marketing Department, they might be more familiar with the Outputs that they need to produce for different Customers for the different events; it might be easier to fill the Outputs and Customers lanes first, and from there they can work out what are the Processes involved and where do the Inputs and Suppliers come from.

A SIPOC is usually meant for high level processes, it is recommended to just enter the name of the process; the detail process steps are not involved at this stage.

In the example above, the processes are kept at high level e.g. Campaign Management, New Product Launch Preparation. A more detail SIPOC may be required for each of this process in order to investigate the potential issues that can only be uncovered under the fold.

Step 4: Validate the information  

Ensure that the understanding of the process at this high level is accurate by validating the SIPOC diagram with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for the area. It is also a good practice to get a second opinion from other SMEs or Process Owners to understand if there is any process that they might assume is provided by the area of focus.

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