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Six Sigma

Subjects : certifications, six-sigma, business-skills

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 5?
Controlling quality at the source.
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
Decomposing the total variation of data into: (a) the internal or "natural" or "within" groups variation - and (b) the "between" groups variation in such a way that when these two types of variation are compared - it's possible to determine if there
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)

2. Define benchmarking.
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.
Workers - machines - materials.
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)

3. List two components of prevention cost.
Conformance to specifications.
Quality planning - design review - education and training - process control - IS costs - quality reporting - improvement project costs - working with suppliers before production.
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
Is the consequence of the failure.

4. Presence of interaction effect
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
Producer risk.
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)

5. What is the 5S model?
No -- only if the process is also capable.
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.
An assertion or conjecture concerning one or more populations
0.9^3 or 72.9%

6. What are the 5 Ss?
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.
Another way to assess the significance of the analyzed factors is through a graphic procedure developed by C. Daniel when only one replicate (a single observation) was obtained:
No; if the process is centered - Cp will be the same; if not - Cpk is what you need to determine capabilty.

7. Test for Independence
consists of plotting the residuals vs. the order of each experiment - If - as in the case of the constant variance a random horizontal band is obtained - the ______________ of the residuals is not rejected. (should be random above a below the line i
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
Rapid improvement process.
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.

8. Approximately what percent of a normal distribution falls between ± 1 standard deviations from the mean?
68%
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.

9. Why do you need two control charts for variables SPC?
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
Blame.
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects
Deming.

10. There are two milling machines in the shop. Data has been collected on one to compute control limits for both. This is acceptable SPC practice - true or false and why?
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.
A scatterplot.
An interaction is defined as a dependence relationship between the response and the levels of two or more variables

11. DOE
An experiment where one or more variables believed to have an effect on an experimental outcome are identified and manipulated according to a plan
consists of plotting the residuals vs. the order of each experiment - If - as in the case of the constant variance a random horizontal band is obtained - the ______________ of the residuals is not rejected. (should be random above a below the line i
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy

12. What is the center line of an X-bar chart?
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
Is the consequence of the failure.
X-bar-bar
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)

13. What graphical tool is used to show the relationship between two numerical variables?
Critical to quality.
A scatterplot.
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.

14. For your SPC sample you weigh bags of potatoes. Is this variable or attribute SPC?
The House of Quality.
QFD
A time series plot.
Variable.

15. If your process is capable at two sigma - what percentage of the output will be defective (assuming the process is in control)?
5%
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
Workers - machines - materials.

16. Non-random patterns (Run Charts)
A tools that is used to measure the amount of variation in the measurement system arising from the measurement device (repeatability) and the people taking the measurement (reproducibility).
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
Upper control limit.

17. F value
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)

18. What are the Five Dimensions of Service Quality?
Consumer risk.
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)

19. What is the formula for standard deviation?
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.
A scatterplot.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
Sampling for SPC is done real time.

20. What is Type II Error?
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
Quality planning - design review - education and training - process control - IS costs - quality reporting - improvement project costs - working with suppliers before production.

21. Define conformance quality.
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)
Fitness for use.

22. What is Little's Law?
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
A scatterplot.
Taguchi

23. Residual
Sampling for SPC is done real time.
Represent the errors which are random variables with an assumed normal distribution with mean zero and a constant variance σ2.
= y = Beta(0) + Beta(1)X + epsilon y=dependent variable (response) x=independent variable (predictor of y) - epsilon=error component - Beta(not)=intersection. If data include zero - it represents the mean of the distribution of y when - x=0. It does
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."

24. What is the Deming Prize?
100%
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.
The Japanese national quality award.
Before production starts

25. ANOVA

26. When yields decrease - what are the two effects on contribution?
A time series plot.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
A random variable that summarizes the information from the sample(s).

27. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 4?
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
The number of standard deviations some value is from the mean.
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.

28. If your process is capable at two sigma - what percentage of the output will you have to inspect to find defectives?
100%
Critical to quality.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events

29. What is the role of a black belt?
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
Walter A. Shewhart
To manage the Six Sigma project.
Sampling for SPC is done real time.

30. How are LQL and AQL determined in an acceptance sampling plan?
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
Rapid improvement process.
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)

31. Define performance quality.
It usually isn't possible to hold all other variables constant - There is no way to account for the effect of joint variation of independent variables - such as interaction - There is no way to account for experimental error - including measurement v
The primary operating characteristics of a product.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.
A systemized group of activities designed to 1. recognize and evaluate the potential failure of product/process and its effects 2. Identify actions which could eliminate or reduce the chance of potential failure ocurring 3. document the process

32. What inventory approach contributes to process quality by "lowering the river to find the rocks?"
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
The process of ranking opportunities to determine which of many potential opportunities should be pursued first.
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
Lean (or JIT).

33. What does Crosby say about benchmarking?
A scatterplot.
An experiment where one or more variables believed to have an effect on an experimental outcome are identified and manipulated according to a plan
Workers - machines - materials.
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"

34. For what is an x-bar chart used?
A time series plot.
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
Consumer risk.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.

35. Uses of regression - Control
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality
To obtain a certain desirable outcome from the process
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."

36. What is written on the "spines" of a fishbone diagram?
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Complaint adjustment - returned material - warranty charges - allowances - loss of future business.
Represents the behavior of a process

37. Uses of regression
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.
The ratio of outputs to inputs; 1-scrap.
Prediction and estimation. based on an unknown x value - estimation is based on a known x value
1) Identify the Range (Max Value - Min Value) 2) Determine # of bins 3) Determine the Width of each bin --> (Range / # Bins) 4) Put values in correct Bin

38. Your production process meets customer specifications. Is your process in control?
Not necessarily.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
Deming.
How likely it is to have an F statistic of that value if there really is no relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variable(s).

39. If a Cp shows that a process is not capable - should you calculate Cpk?
No -- if it is not the same - it can only be worse!
Data reduction to put a large number of qualitative inputs into a smaller number of major dimensions
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.
Rank of 10 if there is >= 100 per 1000 piece Rank of 1 if there is <=.01 per 1000 pieces

40. What is a CAVE man?
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
Variable.

41. When either attribute or variable measures could be used for SPC - why might attribute measurement be preferred?
Controlling quality at the source.
Actual drawings - layouts - maps - etc which show where a defect occurs
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)

42. Disadvantages of DOE

43. Define aesthetic quality.
A tool that shows performance along key dimensions all at once.
Pleasing to the senses.
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.

44. In a Z table - what is Z?
No -- only if the process is also capable.
Mean time to replacement.
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.
The number of standard deviations some value is from the mean.

45. Does it ever make sense to accept a job when a process is incapable?
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
68%
An experiment where one or more variables believed to have an effect on an experimental outcome are identified and manipulated according to a plan
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"

46. What is the difference between the way sampling is done for SPC and for acceptance sampling?
Producer risk.
Mean time to replacement.
Sampling for SPC is done real time.
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.

47. What is a histogram?
Critical to quality.
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
A chart that breaks the range of data into equal intervals and then shows the count of occurrences in each interval.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none

48. In Juran's Cost of Quality model - which categories of costs balance which other categories?
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.
Prevention and appraisal costs are balanced against internal and external failure.
Mean time to replacement.
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.

49. You have been plotting sample means on an x-bar chart and all points indicate normal - expected variation. Is the process in control?

50. To what does the Six in Six Sigma relate?
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
5%
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.