The SIPOC Model - Assignment Example

The SIPOC Model The Business Process Management is a concept which seeks to connect the business processes with the needs of clients Land et al 81). BPM involves a continuous improvement model which affects all the units and components of the business process in order to deliver better quality services to the customers. Business process management is an old version of Total Quality Management. It involves the identification of the most efficient and most effective method and process of dealing with issues and matters in a given organization with a primary and fundamental focus on the customer. Thus, the process involves the identification of the most important strategic assets and managing them by modifying them as and when there are changes in customer needs and customer expectations. The SIPOC model is a process visualization and documentation model with the end of identifying aspects and elements of change in the business process of an organization (Land et al 81). It involves conducting a critical survey of inputs and outputs of a process in a tabular format in order to identify all the relevant components of the business process of the entity. SIPOC stands for Suppliers, Inputs, Processes, Outputs and Customers. All these components are critiqued and evaluated with a view of improving the entity's service and offering to customers. SIPOC is utilized to attain the D element of the DMAIC model of Six Sigma. It helps to define the aspects of the business process that needs to be changed and improved to ensure higher quality service. SIPOC and BPM are related because they all seek the same end. They are both old and archaic models of the total quality assurance model. The BPM is a philosophy that ensures continuous improvement. However, SIPOC involves a critical definition of variables and processes that are outlined and used for improvement. However, SIPOC appears to be more specific and problem-solving oriented than BPM. An example of SIPOC's use is the case of an organization that seeks to define the problems and issues in its activities. However, BPM might be used where there is a strategic move towards improvement and provides no specific solutions to any directly defined issue. Different Types of Customers In the world of quality management and Six Sigma, there are three main types of customers. This is demonstrated by the Kano model and several other models presented in academic literature. Kano presented the three as: 1. Customers without Voice (basic customers) 2. Customers with Voice (wants) 3. Constructive Customers (nice to have) (Akpolat 23) Although the first two definitions of customers are consistent with other authorities' views of customer types, there are some different views and opinions of customers and how they are classified. George classifies them as: 1. External customers 2. Internal customers and 3. Regulatory customers (52) External customers are those who pay bills and ask for quality. They are the same as Kano's customer's with voice. They are people who make demands and ask for different things to be done to their expectations. And if the company does not please them, these external customers will tell the whole world about the deficiencies of the company. Hence, there is the need to keep these customers satisfied. Internal customers are those customers without a voice. They receive the product or service and are indifferent about the service. Although they will not complain about the kind of service that the company provides, they form their opinions quietly and they reflect the views of different customers on the market. Hence, the business will need to satisfy them and keep them happy and content. Failure to do that will lead to a loss of market share, albeit quietly. Regulatory customers are those with power and authority to make changes in the company. These customers need to be given the priority and satisfied at all costs. How Suppliers Can Predict Customer Expectations Predicting customer expectations comes with the need to set standards and identify what is relevant and what is not relevant. In doing this, there are three main things that are important for a company to attain. They are: 1. Set baseline of customer needs: In other words, there is the need for the company to define what the customers want and what they need. And this is done by classifying the different standards and expectations that the customers have. This is more of a notional activity and the company will have to define the standard and what is above it and what is below it. Through this, they can get a conceptual view of what the customers want. Thus for instance, if a company needs to define what is the standard customer service and retention, they will need to define the quality standard and components and the percentage of return customers they want. They will have to translate a conceptual expectation to a quantifiable metric. 2. Measure customer expectation: This is done by finding ways and means of measuring what customers want and what they expect according to the standards that is set. The information taken must be measured according to the baseline and views above and below the baseline must be recorded and presented. 3. In-house Analysis of results: The results need to be reconciled with the views of some important and crucial members of the company like the marketing staff members and other crucial staff members who have insight and experience in the matter. Through this, the company can find ways and means of positioning itself to provide high-quality services for the consumers in the industry. The DMAIC Process The DMAIC process is a crucial and fundamental element and aspect of the Six Sigma principle and processes. The DMAIC model provides a system for the improvement of services in a given organization. And it is done by taking drastic steps and actions to attain a given end. It includes: 1. Define 2. Measure 3. Analyze 4. Improve and 5. Control Defining involves the identification of important metrics of what needs to be done. The Defining state needs proper specification and clarification of where the organization is and where the organization seeks to go. And this involves the definition of the important changes as well as the relevant stakeholders who are going to be involved in the change. Measurement involves the definition of a baseline and metrics for change. It involves the definition of what is success and what is not success. This is done by interviewing customers and other stakeholders to define what the best way if measuring the process can be done. Analyze. After findings are attained, there is the need to interpret the findings and set the targets for changes. Once this is done, there is the need to Improve or change the thing that ought to be changed. Control involves measuring the implementation results and improving it where necessary. In applying this to a real-life example, a case will involve a team that wants to increase the exposure of their website to consumers. The first thing they will need to do is to define what they actually want to do. This will naturally culminate in defining the sales target of let say getting 1 million impressions each week and 50,000 clicks to the site every week. They will have to identify duties like who will place the adverts, who will do things and other matters. This forms the definition stage. Measurement means defining clearly, what the metrics of success will be. This is supposed to be viewed from the consumer's standpoint and will include attaining things like customer interests and transacting business on the page. This will be the baseline. Analysis will involve the evaluation of customer perceptions and options in the market like the different search engine optimization agencies. From there, the business can make a choice on how to implement or improve their services. When this is done, they can control by measuring results and improving it. Team Tool Focus – Brainstorming Brainstorming refers to a team tool which is used to generate creative ideas. The process involves the presentation of a given goal. And once this is done, all the ideas from the team members are identified and written down. This include ideas and suggestions that appear to be silly. These silly ideas are critiqued and evaluated. And at the end of the day, they are used for a creative approach and method. Brainstorming is a process that encourages participation. In that it allows all members of the team to make contributions and come up with suggestions on how the given end can be attained. After that, all team members are inclusively encouraged to select the best option through various techniques like multivoting. Since brainstorming is a collectivized approach, it can be said to be more representative than other methods of team work. Brainstorming encourages diverse views which ensures that the quality of decisions taken by teams are high. Brainstorming also encourages learning and evaluation of the problem more critically. This is because it gives all team members the opportunity to ask questions and to debate on things. Through this, there is an improved view of the problem and the issue at hand. This keeps the team members informed and helps them to get better views on the issue. Brainstorming on the other hand appears to be a tool that can be abused or cause major delays. This is because brainstorming involves a wide array of ideas and can quite complicate a simple matter. On the other hand, brainstorming requires an experienced leader otherwise it risks being an event that members might find a bit boring and participation might not be forthright. In a practical case, if team members seek to maximize sales and optimize it, they can call all members to come up with various suggestions and views on how to do it. Some may suggest advertisement, others may recommend online marketing, newspaper ads, cold calls, word of mouth, networking and other things. After the first round of suggesting options, they may come up with a critique of each of the options for whether they are appropriate or not. Eventually, the team members may settle down on one appropriate approach and method of promoting the entity. Works Cited Akpolat Haran. Six Sigma in Transnational and Service Environments Surrey: Gower Publishing. 2012. Print. George Mark. The Lean Six Sigma Guide to Duing More with Less Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons. 2011. Print. Land Susan, Smith Douglas and Walz John. Practical Support for Lean Six Sigma Software Processes Mason, OH: Cengage. 2012. Print. Read More