What Is SIPOC? How to Use a SIPOC Diagram

What Is SIPOC? How to Use a SIPOC Diagram


SIPOC is an acronym that stands for Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs and Customers. It is a process mapping and improvement method that summarizes the inputs and outputs of one or more processes using a SIPOC diagram. The focus is on capturing the set of inputs or outputs rather than the individual steps of the process. SIPOC originates from the 1980s and is part of the total quality movement. Examples of its use in real life include Six Sigma, lean manufacturing and business process management disciplines.

The SIPOC elements are either the first or last letters: suppliers and customers, resources, resources, materials, steps that convert inputs to outputs, product or service created from the process, and customers. The elements are then collected in the diagram and how to create one. A SIPOC diagram is a visual process mapping that shows how the project goals will be accomplished. It helps to define who supplies the input to the process, what raw materials are placed in the inputs, the customer requirements of the process, and the process measurements or requirements for the product, service or information. To create a SIPOC, it is important to identify suppliers, identify inputs, outline the process, define outputs, identify customers, and analyze customer requirements.