SIPOC
In process improvement, a SIPOC (sometimes COPIS) is a tool that summarizes the inputs and outputs of one or more processes in table form. It is used to define a business process from beginning to end before work begins. The acronym SIPOC stands for suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers which form the columns of the table. It was in use at least as early as the total quality management programs of the late 1980s and continues to be used today in Six Sigma, lean manufacturing, and business process management. To emphasize putting the needs of the customer foremost , the tool is sometimes called COPIS and the process information is filled in starting with the customer and working upstream to the supplier. The SIPOC is often presented at the outset of process improvement efforts such as Kaizen events or during the "define" phase of the DMAIC process. It has three typical uses depending on the audience: Several aspects of the SIPOC that may not be readily apparent are: To create a SIPOC diagram, one must first map the overall process in a few steps. Then one must identify process outputs, who will receive them, and what the necessary inputs  and suppliers are for each process. The final step is to share the diagram with the stakeholders to evaluate and verify the results.