Test your basic knowledge |

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. If a three-stage process has 90% yields at each stage - what is the overall yield?
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Initiated before or at design concept finalization
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.
0.9^3 or 72.9%

2. In a regression - what does the p value of F tell you?
10 if Almost impossible to detect
= 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
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).
Lean (or JIT).

3. FMEA
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.
Defects Per Million Opportunities
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

4. Uses of regression
Prediction and estimation. based on an unknown x value - estimation is based on a known x value
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 target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
To manage the Six Sigma project.

5. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 1?
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
Organize ideas into meaningful categories by recognizing their underlying similarity
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
Attribute.

6. Define conformance quality.
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
The secondary characteristics of a product; "bells and whistles."
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.

7. In a regression - what does the standard error of the estimate tell you?
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.

8. What is the center line of an X-bar chart?
They move closer to the center 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
10 if Almost impossible to detect
X-bar-bar

9. If you can only collect categorical data - what type of SPC charting can you do?
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
= 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
Before production starts
Attribute.

10. What happens to control limits on an SPC chart when sample size is increased?
They move closer to the center line.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
Attribute.
A chart that breaks the range of data into equal intervals and then shows the count of occurrences in each interval.

11. Defect location check sheets
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.
Actual drawings - layouts - maps - etc which show where a defect occurs

12. Daniel Test
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:
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.
1) Plot a Line chart of the data in time sequence 2) Draw a line at the median
It's good -- but it's still out of control!

13. What is process capability?
10 if Almost impossible to detect
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."

14. Which quality guru developed the concept of loss to society?
Taguchi
= S x O x D S--> Severity O--> Occurrence D--> Detection Higher the number the worse it is
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).
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.

15. Non-random patterns (Run Charts)
Variable.
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.
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:

16. What is Type II Error?
Deming.
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).
Sampling for SPC is done real time.
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.

17. Explain the difference between technical and functional service quality.
Mean time to failure.
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Linearity - normality - homoscedasticity - independence.

18. What is the Deming Prize?
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
The Japanese national quality award.
Data reduction to put a large number of qualitative inputs into a smaller number of major dimensions

19. Approximately what percent of a normal distribution falls between ± 2 standard deviations from the mean?
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
95%
Conformance to specifications.
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.

20. Test for constant variance
Conformance to specifications.
3.4 (assuming 1.5 sigma shift in the mean)
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.
Initiated before or at design concept finalization

21. Detection Criteria Ranking
= 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
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.
10 if Almost impossible to detect

22. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 3?
The gap between specifications and how service is performed.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
The Japanese national quality award.

23. If you have calculated a Cpk - should you also calculate a Cp?
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
No; if the process is centered - Cp will be the same; if not - Cpk is what you need to determine capabilty.
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.
The Japanese national quality award.

24. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 4?
They move closer to the center line.
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.

25. What are the three main categories of assignable cause?
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
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
Workers - machines - materials.
They move closer to the center line.

26. What does the abbreviation UCL stand for?
Upper control limit.
Attribute.
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
Conformance to specifications.

27. FMEA
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria
It's good -- but it's still out of control!
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects

28. What is the role of a black belt?
Waste.
Kaoru Ishikawa.
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)
To manage the Six Sigma project.

29. Statistical Hypothesis
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
An assertion or conjecture concerning one or more populations
Producer risk.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.

30. For what is a p-chart used?
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.
Conformance to specifications.
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.

31. Risk Priority Number RPN
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
Defects Per Million Opportunities
Method developed by Ishikawa to graphically display the causes of any given problem
= S x O x D S--> Severity O--> Occurrence D--> Detection Higher the number the worse it is

32. What is the difference between Lean and Six Sigma?
Large enough to find two of the attribute - on average.
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.
100%
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.

33. What is a Pareto chart?
Can't tell without a Range chart.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.
Waste.

34. What is an affinity diagram?
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
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.
An interaction is defined as a dependence relationship between the response and the levels of two or more variables
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.

35. What quality guru emphasizes management as a system?
10 if Almost impossible to detect
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
Deming.
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.

36. A process is operating "in control." Does this mean the customer's requirements are met?
X-bar-bar
Fitness for use.
No -- only if the process is also capable.
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain

37. What is poka yoke?
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.
Mistake-proofing.
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
Blame.

38. What do you do when a process is out of control?
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
No; if the process is centered - Cp will be the same; if not - Cpk is what you need to determine capabilty.
Linearity - normality - homoscedasticity - independence.
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.

39. What are the four categories of costs in Juran's framework?
Prevention - appraisal - internal failure - external failure.
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.
Mistake-proofing.
Walter A. Shewhart

40. An SPC chart shows no points outside the control limits. Does this mean the process is in control?
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."
Organize ideas into meaningful categories by recognizing their underlying similarity
95%
Represent the errors which are random variables with an assumed normal distribution with mean zero and a constant variance σ2.

41. Process check sheets
Used to create frequency distribution tally sheets
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.
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
Actual drawings - layouts - maps - etc which show where a defect occurs

42. How are LQL and AQL determined in an acceptance sampling plan?
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
Large enough to find two of the attribute - on average.
Outside.

43. In a regression - what does R-square tell you?
Prediction and estimation. based on an unknown x value - estimation is based on a known x value
A scatterplot.
Variable.
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).

44. Design of Experiments (DOE) approach
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Vary two or more variables simultaneously - Multiple measurements are obtained under the same experimental conditions
95%
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.

45. Failure Mode
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
Prevention and appraisal costs are balanced against internal and external failure.
Producer risk.

46. Disadvantages of DOE

47. What is a CAVE man?
The US national quality award.
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.
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects

48. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 5?
X-bar-bar
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).
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
The Japanese national quality award.

49. TWO-DIMENTIONAL SCATTER PLOT
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
A scatterplot.
A simple graph between two variables - visualize the type - degree of strength and shape of the relationship between two variables

50. When is Cpk used?
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
Not necessarily.
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)