SIPOC Diagramming for SOPs

We, as Six Sigma professionals, often assist our customers in developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).  The process for gathering the needed information to develop these procedures can be tricky.  Users have difficulty in articulating procedure triggers, required inputs, procedure activity, outputs, receivers, exceptions, and inter procedure touch points.   They need a guide to help facilitate the process.

I have found it very useful to use SIPOC diagramming to solve many of these problems I face when helping customers developing SOPs.   SIPOC diagramming is a technique used by Six Sigma Black Belts for years in process improvement.   The literal translation of SIPOC is Supplier, Input, Process, Output, and Customer.
 
The beauty behind the SIPOC is that it is easy for the user to understand and helps to keep the team focused.  A procedure can be represented in one page versus the seven to ten pages in a typically written procedure.  I use the SIPOC to articulate and gain approval on the actual procedure steps.  The SOP is then drafted from the SIPOC by business writers.  The SOP is simply a representation of the SIPOC.  Therefore the document approval process is dramatically reduced.

To maximize the benefits of the SIPOC, I had to modify it slightly to include sections I refer to as “Critical Prerequisites (CPR)”, “Points of Interest (POI)” and “Inter Procedure Touch Points (IPTP).”  CPRs are used to identify what triggers the procedure and what critical prerequisites must be met before the procedure can begin.  POIs highlight information that is of a special interest.  Spending authority, warnings, special considerations, are put into POIs.  If the output of a procedure step touches another procedure, I note the output and the receiving procedure name in the IPTP.

My motto is “Always be prepared.” Therefore, based on my previous experiences, I pre-fill the SIPOC with procedure steps that normally should be followed.  I have found that the best format for preparing and publishing SIPOCS is through Microsoft Excel.  Everyone knows how to use EXCEL.   I have also found that SIPOCs simplify the development and the delivery of the training because the answer the questions that students normally ask.

I have included in this blog a SAMPLE SIPOC in Microsoft Excel format.  It is formatted for legal size paper that is easier to read in case I have to print them.  Also I always print the SIPOC with line numbers.


Regards

Jim Pickens


Jim Pickens is the the managing partner for DMAIC.com. http://www.dmaic.com is the complete online resource for Six Sigma consulting, training, software, books, and events.