SIPOC Approach to As Is Analysis

SIPOC is an acronym that stands for Suppliers, Inputs, Process Steps, Outputs, and Customers.  This high level process mapping method is ideal for diagnosing and analyzing the current state, or As Is condition of any business process.  The following outlines the SIPOC approach to As Is analysis and improvement solution identification.

The first task is to assemble a small team, 3-5 people, who play roles within the process under analysis that are familiar with the activities that take place within the process.  You may find that this team collectively knows the process from end to end even if some of the team members individually do not.  The team identifies the one key performance metric that defines success or failure for the process.

SUPPLIERS are the functional groups that provide the essential ingredients for the process to perform.  Create this list may include actual supplier companies that are contracted for goods and services as well as the internal groups and individuals that provide the things that make the process tick.  You may miss a few initially, but you can always add suppliers during the process mapping activity when they are identified.  If the process needs something, which Supplier provides it?

INPUTS are the essential ingredients provided by the Suppliers.  Those ingredients could be materials, goods, services, data, instructions, decisions, documents, analyses, or whatever the process requires.  For each Supplier make a list of all the inputs they provide.

PROCESS STEPS are the 5 high level steps from the beginning to the final outcome for the process.  Start with Step 1 and Step 5.  That defines the end to end scope of the As Is process analysis.  You can think of the process steps as the 5 key value stream steps.  Fill in Steps 2 through 4 after Step 1 and 5 are defined.  The performance metric should be measureable at Step 5 to determine process success or failure.

OUTPUTS are the result of each individual step in the process.  After completing Step 1 what is the thing that is generated by this process step.  In some cases a process step may have multiple outputs.  When you list the outputs they are in groups associated with their respective process step and should flow in order from 1 through 5.

CUSTOMERS are the recipients of the process outputs.  The process step generates something and it goes to a functional group which is either internal to the process or external to the process.

With the SIPOC Process Map completed the team collectively has a better overall understanding of the process from end to end.  Now is the time to challenge the process to identify where the issues are.  What are the causes of either success or failure based on the key performance metric?  Brainstorm using the Cause and Effect, or Fishbone Diagram.  This technique identifies the potential causes of the process issues.

To develop solutions the SCAMPER brainstorming technique is very useful.  In this structured method the SCAMPER acronym is used to challenge the process for improvements by asking what could be Substituted, Changed, Adapted or Amplified, Modified, Put to other uses, Eliminated, or Replaced / Removed / Rearranged.  Now you know the SIPOC approach to As Is analysis and improvement solution identification.

 

Lean Root Cause Analysis

Do you have processes that don’t perform the way you would like them to?

Do you have processing errors and customer complaints?

Does it seem like nothing ever gets out the door on time?

Are you tired of the inefficiencies and waste in your processes?

If you are in this situation then finding the root causes in your processes is the answer. Lean Root Cause Analysis begins with mapping of the current state, which is where you are now. All it takes is a walk through review of your current process, a digital camera to capture actual evidence, some sticky notes, sharpies, and a roll of brown paper.

Depicting the current state of your process on a Process Map, whether it is a Value Stream Map or a Deployment Process Map, gives you a visual representation from the beginning to the end of your process. You will be able to take a step back and review what’s actually going on objectively.

Photographs provide reminders of what is actually taking place. Sometimes the photos show some pretty scary things taking place in the process.

Information that should also be captured are cycle times, processing times, lead times, quantities of good and bad process outputs, travel distances, and inventory. The list is not all encompassing, but a good start.

The next step is to classify and quantify the Value Adding activities and the Non Value Adding Activities. We define Value Adding activities as ones that (1) the customer considers to be important and would be willing to pay for them, (2) the “THING” that travels through the process is physically changed, and (3) the process activity is done correctly the first time through the process. All three requirements must be met or the process activity is considered to be Non Value Adding.

To reduce or eliminate the Non Value Adding activities in the process requires an understanding of the root causes that created the need for them. We use Cause and Effect Diagrams, Failure Mode Effects Analysis, and 5 Why Brainstorming to uncover the root causes.

Devise your corrective actions and implement the improvements. Sounds pretty easy and it can be. Just follow the 5 step DMAIC improvement process. Define your current state, measure what is actually happening, analyze the information to uncover the root causes, develop creative solutions to improve the process, and then implement the solutions and install controls to maintain your gains.

If you need some help getting started then take our course Lean Root Cause Analysis

The Lean Root Cause Analysis course teaches practical application tools for uncovering the root causes in your processes. Lean concepts are demonstrated with a simulation. You will then learn how to define your current state and uncover the root causes that are the impediments to your future state success. Budget friendly at only $69.95

Register for a Course Today at EducateVirtually.com