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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. What is the role of a master black belt?
Waste.
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.
The House of Quality.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)

2. When either attribute or variable measures could be used for SPC - why might attribute measurement be preferred?
A tool that shows where there is waste in a process.
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
Attribute
Brand image.

3. Histogram by Hand
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.
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
Pleasing to the senses.

4. Name the structure associated with Quality Function Deployment.
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
The House of Quality.
95%
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)

5. One factor at a time (OFAT)
Critical to quality.
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
99.73%
Observed variation in response is caused by the input

6. DOE
Blame.
An experiment where one or more variables believed to have an effect on an experimental outcome are identified and manipulated according to a plan
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.
Prediction and estimation. based on an unknown x value - estimation is based on a known x value

7. Stratified defect check sheets
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria
The US national quality award.

8. What is the 5S model?
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.
Rapid improvement process.
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.
The gap between specifications and how service is performed.

9. What is a histogram?
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
A chart that breaks the range of data into equal intervals and then shows the count of occurrences in each interval.
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.

10. If you can only collect categorical data - what type of SPC charting can you do?
Attribute.
Shows the temporal flow of activities in a project network.
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
Producer risk.

11. Approximately what percent of a normal distribution falls between ± 1 standard deviations from the mean?
Kaoru Ishikawa.
68%
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.
Waste.

12. What does Crosby say about benchmarking?
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.

13. In a regression - what does R-square tell you?
Mean time to failure.
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).
Lean (or JIT).
Mean time to replacement.

14. What is DMADV?
99.73%
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.

15. Which quality guru developed the concept of loss to society?
Mean time to failure.
The gap between specifications and how service is performed.
Taguchi
No; if the process is centered - Cp will be the same; if not - Cpk is what you need to determine capabilty.

16. If you have calculated a Cpk - should you also calculate a Cp?
68%
No; if the process is centered - Cp will be the same; if not - Cpk is what you need to determine capabilty.
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria

17. Based on what principal can we use the normal distribution assumptions for SPC?
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.
Prevention - appraisal - internal failure - external failure.
Central Limit Theorem
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.

18. Effect ranking (Severity of the Defect)
Lower control limit.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects
Can't tell without a Range chart.

19. Uses of regression - Control
To obtain a certain desirable outcome from the process
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.
Plot the residuals vs. the fitted values (mean of each group - y(hat) = y (bar)i ) - Assumption of ____________not rejected if the dispersion of every group is approximately the same.
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.

20. What is CTQ?
Critical to quality.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
Through producer/consumer negotiation.

21. For what is a p-chart used?
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.
Mean time to replacement.

22. Complete this quality phrase: 'Fix the process - not the _____.'
Blame.
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:
Data reduction to put a large number of qualitative inputs into a smaller number of major dimensions
Brand image.

23. What is the center line of a p-chart?
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
Quality planning - design review - education and training - process control - IS costs - quality reporting - improvement project costs - working with suppliers before production.
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.

24. What type of risk is associated with Type II Error?
The process of ranking opportunities to determine which of many potential opportunities should be pursued first.
Define - measure - analyze - improve - control.
Consumer risk.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none

25. Manual Test for Nomality
Outside.
The primary operating characteristics of a product.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper

26. Presence of interaction effect
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)
Workers - machines - materials.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
= 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

27. What is the formula for the standard deviation of a proportion?
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
50%
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)

28. Design of Experiments (DOE) approach
Can't tell without a Range chart.
The ratio of outputs to inputs; 1-scrap.
Critical to quality.
Vary two or more variables simultaneously - Multiple measurements are obtained under the same experimental conditions

29. What is the difference between the way sampling is done for SPC and for acceptance sampling?
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).
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
Sampling for SPC is done real time.
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.

30. What happens to control limits on an SPC chart when sample size is increased?
Observed variation in response is caused by the input
They move closer to the center line.
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.
Data reduction to put a large number of qualitative inputs into a smaller number of major dimensions

31. What is Little's Law?
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
To manage the Six Sigma project.
Inventory = throughput x flow time.

32. List two appraisal costs.
Incoming materials inspection - inspection and testing - maintaining test equipment - materials/services consumed
To obtain a certain desirable outcome from the process
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.
Walter A. Shewhart

33. How are LQL and AQL determined in an acceptance sampling plan?
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
Pleasing to the senses.

34. Approximately what percent of a normal distribution falls between ± 3 standard deviations from the mean?
0.9^3 or 72.9%
Attribute
99.73%
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)

35. Where should specifications fall in relation to ± 3 sigma for the process in order for a process to be capable.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.
Outside.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy

36. What is a Gantt chart?
Shows the temporal flow of activities in a project network.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.
Inventory = throughput x flow time.

37. What is the difference between Lean and Six Sigma?
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
An experiment where one or more variables believed to have an effect on an experimental outcome are identified and manipulated according to a plan
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.

38. If your process is capable at two sigma - what percentage of the output will be defective (assuming the process is in control)?
5%
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none
Fractional factorial designs (orthogonal arrays)
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.

39. In a regression - what does the p value of F tell you?
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)
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).

40. Uses of regression
Prediction and estimation. based on an unknown x value - estimation is based on a known x value
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
A tool that shows where there is waste in a process.
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)

41. What do you do when a process is out of control?
A tool that shows where there is waste in a process.
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.
Mean time to failure.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.

42. What is the role of a green belt?
Conformance to specifications.
Hold all input variables constant except one. Observe the response as you vary the single input.
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.

43. What is a CAVE man?
Initiated before or at design concept finalization
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.

44. Failure Mode
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
Initiated before or at design concept finalization
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
Observed variation in response is caused by the input

45. What are two other names for an Ishikawa diagram?
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Define - measure - analyze - improve - control.
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.

46. What does a project prioritization matrix do?
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
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
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.

47. What is an affinity diagram?
Hold all input variables constant except one. Observe the response as you vary the single input.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
1.Interactions can be detected and measured 2.Each value does the work of several values 3.Experimental error is quantified and used to determine the confidence the experimenter has in the conclusions

48. Explain the difference between technical and functional service quality.
Mean time to failure.
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)
Rapid improvement process.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."

49. With Six Sigma capability - how many defects per million opportunities would you see?
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
3.4 (assuming 1.5 sigma shift in the mean)
50%
The primary operating characteristics of a product.

50. What graphical tool is used to show the relationship between two numerical variables?
Organize ideas into meaningful categories by recognizing their underlying similarity
A tool that shows where there is waste in a process.
Is what induces the failure
A scatterplot.