SIPOC Vs COPIS
In process improvement as a Lean Six Sigma problem solver, it is necessary to fully understand the process, process input requirements, and process output requirements that arise from customer feedback, and promote their cooperation. SIPOC, or COPIS, is one of the tools that facilitates all this.
SIPOC stands for Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers whereas COPIS stands for Customers, Outputs, Process, Inputs and Suppliers helps in understanding the elements as mentioned below.
As such, SIPOC can benefit Lean Six Sigma professionals in a number of ways. Let’s look point by point:
- Helps you understand the association between suppliers, inputs, processes, outputs-customers.
- If the association is not established, the Lean Six Sigma professional sees that as an opportunity for improvement.
- Helps a lean Six Sigma professional build further Value Steam Maps or Process Maps.
- Useful for collecting the voices of Customers.
- Identify the stakeholders.
- High-level view of the process.
- Used in the Define phase as well as the Measure phase of DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control.
- The focus is more on inputs and outputs.
COPIS
Let’s also look at benefits of COPIS
- In contrast to SIPOC, which places more emphasis on obtaining the proper inputs from suppliers in order to produce the proper output through process steps, COPIS is used when the needs of the customer take precedence.
- Because it starts with the customer, COPIS is preferable for designing a new process.
- COPIS is used in the Define phase of DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control.
- COPIS aids in designing and ensures that the output is created with the customer’s CTQs in mind.
Using SIPOC or COPIS depends on the practitioner’s goals and strategy for Lean Six Sigma. When customer needs take precedence, COPIS is used. SIPOC is the preferred method for finding opportunities for process improvement by establishing the relationship between inputs and outputs.
