High-Level Process Maps

Section 1: Creating Macro Maps

Section 2: Creating SIPOC Diagrams
Section 3: Conclusion

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High-Level Process Maps

Module Objectives

One of the most powerful techniques for an improvement team to master is process mapping. Process mapping
allows your team to work together to develop a shared understanding of the actual steps in a process. In some
work environments, how work actually gets accomplished is unclear until you can “visualize” it on a process map.
The process map is a picture of the process for an improvement team.

In this module, we will discuss high-level process maps, which are used to illustrate a process in a simplified way.
We will define two types of high-level process maps: Macro maps and SIPOC diagrams. We will describe the
steps necessary to create each map and use an example to demonstrate their application.

Let’s get started.

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High-Level Process Maps

The Purpose of High-Level Process Mapping

Processes can be mapped at increasing levels of detail depending on the purpose of the map and the phase of a
process improvement project. Typically, we start any improvement project with high-level process maps because
they simplify the process flow and allow us to focus in on sections that require more attention.

In addition, high-level process maps enable a team to have a clear picture of the boundary and scope of the
improvement effort. Generally, high-level, or “macro” maps are quick to compose and should be completed for all
but the simplest of processes.

We first gather information to outline the major tasks or steps in the process and begin building the map to help
prioritize the opportunity areas that require more detail.

In later phases of the improvement process, we will focus in on those opportunity areas and drill down to produce
more detailed maps. This process continues until we’ve identified enough opportunities to pursue for improvement.
Wherever we drill down, the level being mapped will be clearly linked to the higher level map.

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High-Level Process Maps

Section 1: Creating Macro Maps

About Macro Maps

In most performance excellence projects, the overall objective is to solve a problem. Often, your first step is to
map the process that relates to the problem in question.

The purpose of a macro map is to identify and display the major steps and boundaries of the process being
addressed by the project. A macro map is a very high-level view of a process and usually includes 7 to 10 steps
from beginning to end.

In addition, macro maps are used to identify the major sections of a process so that we can identify upstream
sections that may be causing downstream defects. This will allow us to narrow down the scope of our project and
drill into our process map even deeper.

It’s important to create macro maps with a cross-functional team that participates in the process you’re mapping.
This ensures every part of the process is documented and is commonly understood by everyone on the team.

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High-Level Process Maps

Building a Macro Map

Building a process map is a two-step process.

First, with your project team, identify the major steps in the process. Think about your process from start to finish
and list the primary steps in the flow of the process. It’s tempting to dive deeper into specific process steps, but
keep the team on track by focusing on the high-level view. Each step should represent a specific task. Thus, the
step should be described with at least one action verb and one noun such as, “revise file,” “check order” or
“assemble part.”

Once the tasks have been clearly identified, the second step is to put each step in boxes with arrows to indicate
flow. No more than 10 steps should be listed. If there are more, you may have gone too deep into the process, or
you have identified too wide a project. Notice that the macro process map does not contain standard mapping
symbols, such as decision boxes or information flow lines. The macro map is only intended to show flow from
start to finish.

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High-Level Process Maps

Macro Map Example

Let’s review this process using a scenario you are probably familiar with. Your favorite neighborhood restaurant is
experiencing some problems, which the management team has identified as a decline in customer satisfaction
ratings and decreasing profit margins. As a performance excellence professional, you know one of the team’s first
steps should be to map the process to find out where the potential causes might be.

Taking a very high-level view of how business is done, here’s what our macro map might look like:

First, the demand for food supplies is scheduled. Next, that schedule goes through the restaurant’s accounting
function to prepare a supply order. Then, the suppliers prepare the supplies ordered. These supplies would
include any meat, bread, produce, and dairy items needed to fulfill the menu options. Suppliers then distribute the
supplies to the restaurant. Once delivered, cooks prepare and serve the food to customers. Customers then
consume the food and rate the quality of their experience.

In reality, this process is much more complex and requires many resources to make it happen on a daily basis.
The goal of a Macro map is to understand the general flow of a process and identify where problems might occur.
From this high-level map, any performance improvement team should be able to appropriately scope a project.

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High-Level Process Maps

Section 2: Creating SIPOC Diagrams

About SIPOC Diagrams

The second high-level map we’ll review is called a SIPOC diagram. Once a macro map has been created, it’s
typical that a team will focus in on one or two process steps to investigate further. This focused investigation
begins with a SIPOC analysis. “SIPOC” is an acronym.

The “S” stands for “suppliers.” At the left end of a SIPOC diagram, we list any individuals, organizations, or
departments that supply the process. These suppliers could be external companies or internal departments. It’s
important to be as specific as possible when documenting suppliers. Coming out of those supplier process
sections are inputs that feed the targeted process section.

The “I” in SIPOC stands for “inputs.” Based on the type of process being investigated, examples of inputs may
include an order, materials, equipment, policies, and procedures. There should be a direct link between the
suppliers listed and the inputs documented.

The “P” in SIPOC stands for “process.” This is the actual process step or steps you‘ll focus on during this analysis.

Coming out of the process steps are key products, services, or information. These are called outputs. Therefore,
the “O” in SIPOC stands for “outputs.”

These outputs feed a customer section, so the “C” stands for “Customers.” Again, our customers could be
internal or external, and the list should be as specific as possible. As with inputs, there should be a direct link
between the outputs and the specific customer.

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High-Level Process Maps

The Purpose of SIPOC Diagrams

A SIPOC diagram is multi-purpose.

First, it helps us identify key customers and suppliers in our process. Creating a list through the SIPOC analysis
allows us to see all suppliers and all customers in one view.

Second, it helps us determine the right metrics to use in our evaluation of a problem. What are the customer’s
output requirements? How will we measure inputs to and outputs from our process? What are the key process
indicators we’ll use to determine whether we’re making improvements? A SIPOC map can help us “visualize”
these questions and provide the appropriate context to enable the next steps in the improvement process to be
done effectively and efficiently.

Lastly, the SIPOC diagram allows us to consider our process from the customer’s point of view. As you document
outputs from the process, think about the specific characteristics of each as required by the customer. What
attributes are the customers looking for? These characteristics help us link the outputs to the customers in the
diagram.

Some practitioners advocate the use of the SIPOC-R Diagram to help us incorporate Voice of the Customer. The
“R” in this diagram stands for “requirements,” and the extra step helps teams document the output characteristics
desired by the customer.

Other professionals recommend constructing the diagram backwards, or as COPIS. This method ensures the
process is evaluated from the customer’s point of view, and examined and improved with the customer in mind.
Now that we understand what a SIPOC map is, let’s review the steps it takes to build one.

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High-Level Process Maps

Building a SIPOC Diagram

To create a SIPOC diagram, follow these simple steps.

First, identify the process steps you wish to analyze. This should come from your macro process map.

Second, create the structure for your SIPOC diagram. Place a box in the middle of a page or whiteboard and label
it “P”, for process. Then, create a box on each side of the process step. Label the left box “S” for the suppliers and
the right box “C” for the customers. Leave some space between all three boxes so that you can document your
inputs and outputs.

Third, document the steps in the process you’re going to analyze. Put them in the middle box.

Fourth, identify the outputs of the process. Outputs are the final product, information, or service provided to the
customer. Document those as coming out of the process and into the Customer box.

Fifth, identify the customers that will receive the outputs of your process. Remember to be as specific as possible
by linking outputs to customers, both internal and external.

Sixth, identify the inputs required for the process step to function properly. Inputs are the key ingredients the
process needs in order to produce the output.

Last, identify all the suppliers of the inputs that are required by the process. It is helpful to have a direct link
between a specific supplier and its input.

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High-Level Process Maps

SIPOC Example

Think back to the macro map you just created for your local restaurant. Using a SIPOC analysis, you decide to
take a deeper look at the “Demand for food supplies is scheduled” process step.

First, you create a box in the middle of your page and label it with your process step. Then you create two boxes
on either side for the Suppliers and the Customers. Following our process, we’ll document the outputs of the
process steps. These steps take a deeper look at the step you are evaluating.

For example, in the “Demand for food supplies is scheduled” step, the process might be to gather inventories from
the restaurant, prepare the purchase orders, send the purchase orders and schedule deliveries. One output may
be the actual order schedule, or a list of items to be ordered and their quantities. Another output may be the
distribution schedule for the restaurant, which is dependent on customer volume. Another output of this process
step is an adjusted budget for the week depending on the amount of food ordered.

Now we’ll identify the customers that receive these outputs. The accounting team receives the order schedule to
create a purchase order. The restaurant manager receives a copy of the order and the distribution schedule, so
he can prepare the kitchen. The Operating Management receives copies of the adjusted budget. It’s important to
note there are no external customers involved in this process step.

Moving to the left side of the Process box, let’s identify the inputs to this process step. Customer volume data
helps to identify the ordering trends. Existing, reusable inventory numbers are required as well. New recipe lists
from product development trigger new materials to be ordered and old ones to be discontinued. Previous year’s
orders allow for comparison based on seasonality. Special customer requests from survey data ensures that
customer needs are met. We can then document the suppliers of our process, and those would be the groups or
individuals that give us our inputs. The restaurant manager provides data on volume and ordering trends.
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High-Level Process Maps

Accounting provides data on the past year’s consumption, product development supplies new, or adjusted recipes,
and marketing provides data on customer surveys.

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High-Level Process Maps

Using a SIPOC Diagram

The results of a SIPOC diagram can be used to help guide teams in subsequent phases of an improvement
project.

First, the SIPOC diagram provides a visual context for completing lower level process maps, either process flow
diagrams or in some cases, detailed process maps. Often, the SIPOC diagram is a key tool used to maintain the
link between different levels of a process.

Second, SIPOC diagrams elicit further investigation to clarify specific customer requirements of certain outputs.

Third, SIPOC diagrams are often drawn upon to support the planning and implementation of initial data collection
efforts to establish baselines for primary metrics related to the problem. SIPOC diagrams can be a team’s most
valuable tool in process improvement

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High-Level Process Maps

Section 3: Conclusion
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Process Mapping

Businesses spend a lot of resources producing mid-level and detailed process maps too early in some
improvement projects.

Unfortunately, most of these maps have the same problems:

They show more complexity than we can understand in the preliminary phases of an improvement project. Some
maps lack consistency of details. In some areas of the map we have a lot of excruciating details, while other parts
of the map exclude key steps of the process altogether. And the maps we create rarely link into other maps that
already exist. In short, they don’t provide a compelling picture that results in focused and effective improvement
action. Because of these problems, the process maps are not used, making the level of effort it took to create
them not proportional to the value of the map.

Starting a project with high-level process maps can help you avoid some of these common mistakes. Most teams
dive in to a lot more detail than is required. Before drilling down, it’s important to have an understanding of the
entire process. By looking at the entire process, we frequently can develop more useful questions about the
potential causes for problems. Restricting your team to using high-level maps first can help you avoid having too
much complexity at the beginning phases of your project.

Second, working your way down the detail will ensure that your maps link to each other and provide a full view of
the business. Many teams think they can create one map of the process and be done, but they actually need a
series of maps that work together to show the entire process at different levels of detail to take appropriate action
on the problem.
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High-Level Process Maps

Finally, starting at a high level will help you determine the right process areas to focus on. Rather than spending
resources on details that might not be important, you’ll help your team identify and agree on the processes that
truly need to be improved in an effective and efficient manner.

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High-Level Process Maps

Module Review

In this module, you have learned: The purpose of high-level process maps, when to apply them to a project, and
how to build Macro maps and SIPOC diagrams.

Now you should have the tools you need to build your own high-level maps. Good luck!

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