Systems · Topic 2 of 4
What is business pipeline?
By RISE Business Framework · Created by Gary Harper and Brandon McCurdy · Reviewed
A business pipeline is the full path work and money travel through your business, from customer acquisition to referral. RISE maps it with four tools. The Pipeline wheel shows how to speed it up. SIPOC defines each process. Cycle Time measures how long it takes. The Cash Conversion Cycle measures how fast it turns into cash.
Key takeaways
- The RISE Pipeline wheel has eight stages, from Baselining to Cross Train.
- SIPOC defines Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs and Customers before a process launches.
- Cycle Time includes waiting time and other delays, not just work time.
- Cash Conversion Cycle is one of the four Key Profit Indicators, with a sample target of 60 days.
Business Pipeline in the RISE Business Framework
Business Pipeline is the second topic in the Systems quadrant. It asks whether your business has a clear understanding of its pipeline from customer acquisition to referral.
RISE breaks the pipeline into four tools. You speed up the flow, define each process with SIPOC, time each cycle, and measure how long cash stays tied up.
Why business pipeline matters
When nobody can describe the pipeline, bottlenecks stay hidden. Work waits between steps and no one sees the delay.
When cash cycles go unmeasured, money sits in inventory and receivables. The business can look busy while cash runs short.
“Every business's heartbeat is the efficiency and fluidity of its processes.”Gary Harper
The 4 tools of Business Pipeline
1 of 4
Pipeline
An eight-stage wheel for speeding up the flow of work, from Baselining through Cross Train.
2 of 4
SIPOC
A one-page overview of a process: Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs and Customers, with the process broken into five steps.
3 of 4
Cycle Time
The time a task or process takes from start to finish, including waiting time and delays, tracked for up to five cycles.
4 of 4
Cash Conversion Cycle
How long it takes to buy inventory, sell it and collect cash, tracked as a Key Profit Indicator in days.
How to build business pipeline with RISE
- 1
Baseline the pipeline
Start at the top of the Pipeline wheel. Record how work flows today before changing anything.
- 2
Build a SIPOC
List Suppliers, Inputs, five Process steps, Outputs and Customers for each key process.
- 3
Measure cycle time
For each cycle, record average length, longest and shortest in the last 90 days, and contributing factors.
- 4
Measure the cash conversion cycle
Count your cash conversion cycles and find the average, longest and shortest.
- 5
Track it on the Stoplight Report
Add Cash Conversion Cycle to your Key Profit Indicators with a target in days.
Quick self-check
“We have a clear understanding of our business pipeline from customer acquisition to referral.”
AI RISE Coach
Map your business pipeline with the AI RISE Coach
“Help me build a SIPOC for my main process and find where work gets stuck.”
Frequently asked questions
What is a business pipeline?
It is the path your work, customers and cash follow through the business. RISE looks at it from customer acquisition to referral.
How do you find bottlenecks in a business process?
Define the process with a SIPOC, then measure cycle time for each step. Long waits and wide gaps between the shortest and longest cycles point to bottlenecks.
What is the difference between cycle time and the cash conversion cycle?
Cycle time measures how long a task or process takes from start to finish. The cash conversion cycle measures how long it takes to turn resources back into cash.
Related in RISE
- Effective Meetings (Systems)
- Stoplight Reports (Systems)
- Finance (Resources)
- Sales (Engagement)
- The Systems quadrant
Further reading
- SIPOC Diagram (ASQ)
- Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) (Investopedia)
- What is Lean? (ASQ)
