HOW TO DEFINE A

PROCESS
Defining a Process ?
A process is a structured set of activities or tasks performed in a defined
sequence to produce a specific outcome—be it a product, a service, or even a
decision.
From answering a phone call to manufacturing a car, processes are everywhere.
They’re the invisible gears that keep organizations running. Even your entire
business is a process—composed of interlinked subprocesses working in
harmony (or sometimes, disharmony).
Example:
In a legal firm, a single criminal defense case might involve dozens of
processes—setting appointments, gathering evidence, drafting legal briefs,
conducting negotiations, and so on. Each task plays a part in delivering the final
outcome: acquittal, conviction, or settlement.

Four Layers of Every Process :

1. Steps (or Activities):
The building blocks of a process—actions performed in a particular order. These
can be documented as:
SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)
Process Maps, which visually represent the flow using standardized shapes and
arrows.
2. Processing Time:
Every step takes time—and variation in this time is critical.
For example, restocking shelves in a store might take:
10 minutes at night
2 hours during peak hours
Such insights can reveal huge opportunities for efficiency.
3. Interdependencies:
Processes rarely operate in isolation. They depend on and feed into one another.
In a train journey, the trip from Station A to B depends on prior processes like
safety checks, staff readiness, and clearance.
Key takeaway: Improve one process without understanding its connections, and
you might break another.
4. Resources:
Every process requires inputs—people, equipment, software, skills, materials,
money, and time. Knowing the costs and owners of these resources helps Six
Sigma teams make informed improvement decisions.

Subhransu Sekhar Mohanty

🧱 Components of a Process (SIPOC Framework)
Processes can be broken down into fundamental components:
✅ Inputs
What goes into the process—materials, data, tools, skills.
In a pizza shop: flour, cheese, oven, cook's expertise.
📌 Tip: Poor input quality = poor process performance.
🎯 Outputs
What comes out—the product or service.
In our pizza shop, the medium cheese pizza is the output.
Remember, your process may have internal customers too—like another
department or software system that uses your output.
⚡ Events
Triggers that start the process.
Example: A customer places a pizza order.
Events ensure the process runs only when needed, avoiding wasted effort and
cost.
🔄 Tasks (Activities)
The “doing” part—actions that move the input toward becoming the output.
Examples:
Entering order data
Prepping ingredients
Baking the pizza
🧠 Decisions
Decision points guide the direction or outcome of a process based on rules or
judgment.
Examples:
How much cheese to add?
Is the pizza cooked enough?
Decision-making rules must be consistent to avoid variation, which—as you’ll
recall from Unit 1—can lead to defects.

🤝 Process Ownership
Every process needs an owner—someone
accountable for its success. Depending on
the organization, process owners might be:
Team leads
Department managers
Executives
Their role?
Monitor performance
Ensure SOPs are followed
Provide necessary resources and training
Maintain improvement plans and controls

Subhransu Sekhar Mohanty

 Defining Process Components: The SIPOC
A cornerstone of Six Sigma process understanding is the SIPOC diagram—a
simple yet powerful tool used during the Define phase of DMAIC. But don’t
limit it to just Six Sigma projects. SIPOC is just as valuable whenever you
want to understand, analyze, or communicate how a process fits within a
larger business system.
Let’s break it down.

💡 What is SIPOC?
SIPOC stands for:
Suppliers – Who provides the inputs?
Inputs – What’s needed to begin the process?
Process – What steps are taken to transform inputs into outputs?
Outputs – What is produced?
Customers – Who uses the outputs?
Each of these components helps map the scope and flow of a process in a
high-level but highly informative way.

🌟 Why Use a SIPOC Diagram?

The SIPOC diagram is favored because it’s:
✅ Quick to create – Often done in a single session
✅ Collaborative – Great for team brainstorming
✅ Scalable – Works for both macro and micro-level processes
✅ Clarifying – Builds a shared understanding of how a process works
✅ Boundary-setting – Defines where the process begins and ends
💬 Pro tip: Include a process owner and subject matter experts (SMEs) when
building your SIPOC. Their insight keeps the diagram grounded in reality.

✏️ How to Create a SIPOC Diagram

You can build a SIPOC in a digital tool (Excel, Word, Miro) or the old-school
way with whiteboards and sticky notes (ideal for brainstorming). Here’s the
step-by-step approach:

✅ Step 1: Set the Stage with Swim Lanes

SIPOC diagrams use five swim lanes:
Suppliers | Inputs | Process | Outputs | Customers
Create a template using rows or columns depending on your format.

✅ Step 2: Define Process Boundaries & Give It a Name

Before diving in, set the start and end points of the process. A clear scope
avoids off-track discussions.

Subhransu Sekhar Mohanty

Example:
Process Name: “Gather New Patient Information”
Scope: From patient arrival to completion of medical history form.
This ensures your team stays focused on just that slice of the larger system.

✅ Step 3: Fill in the Swim Lanes (Suggested Order)

Although there’s no rigid order, the following sequence helps with clarity
and flow:
[Link]:
2. Start by defining the high-level steps—5 to 7 is enough. Use simple verb-
noun phrases:
⚬ Enter details
⚬ Verify ID
⚬ Upload documents
⚬ Route to approval
[Link]:
4. Ask, “What is produced by this process?” List the tangible or intangible
results.
[Link]:
6. Who uses those outputs? Identify internal and external users.
7. Inputs:
8. “What does this process need to function?” These are the materials,
data, or tools consumed.
[Link]:
10. “Where do these inputs come from?” Identify systems, departments,
vendors, or individuals.

🛠️ Optional Layer: Enablers

Add a section for Enablers—tools or systems that support but aren’t
transformed by the process.
• Machines
• Software systems
• Infrastructure
🔧 Enablers drive efficiency, but they’re not inputs.

✅ Step 4: Validate Your SIPOC

Once drafted:
• Review it as a team
• Bring in SMEs or the process owner to verify accuracy
• Look for missing links or unclear relationships

Subhransu Sekhar Mohanty

💡 SIPOC in Action: Examples
🔹 Business-Level SIPOC – A Printing Company

Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers

Paper vendor Paper Receive order Business cards Individuals
Business
Ink vendor Ink Layout designs Brochures
owners
Banners,
Marketing
Customers Order specs Print designs Letterhead,
departments
Mailers
Copy machine Deliver printed
Designs
vendor product
🔹 Automated Process SIPOC – Mail-Order Pharmacy Labeling

Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers

Bottle sorting Unlabeled Choose bottle Bottle-filling
Labeled bottles
machine bottles size station
Label printer Data for labels Print label
Label/Ink
Labels, Ink Affix label
vendors
🔹 Factory Process SIPOC (with Enablers) – Attaching Stool Legs
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
Upholstery Completed Packing
Stool top Align legs
station barstool station
Attach legs with
Legs, Screws, screws
Warehouse
Protective wrap Place protective
cover
Enablers:
Conveyor belt,
Drill machine

Subhransu Sekhar Mohanty