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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 a dashboard?
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
A tool that shows performance along key dimensions all at once.
A scatterplot.
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

2. Define conformance quality.
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.

3. What are the four regression assumptions?
Represent the errors which are random variables with an assumed normal distribution with mean zero and a constant variance σ2.
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)
Linearity - normality - homoscedasticity - independence.
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.

4. Taguchi's experimental designs are of this type.
Fractional factorial designs (orthogonal arrays)
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.

5. FMEA
Conformance to specifications.
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
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:
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects

6. What happens to control limits on an SPC chart when sample size is increased?
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).
They move closer to the center line.
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria
The process of ranking opportunities to determine which of many potential opportunities should be pursued first.

7. What graphical tool is used to show the relationship between two numerical variables?
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)
A scatterplot.
Prevention and appraisal costs are balanced against internal and external failure.
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.

8. What are the Five Dimensions of Service Quality?
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).
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy
Upper control limit.
Waste.

9. Advantages of DOE
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)
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
Lower control limit.
Outside.

10. What is Kaizen?
Rapid improvement process.
50%
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
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

11. What is DPMO?
It's good -- but it's still out of control!
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.
Defects Per Million Opportunities

12. If you have calculated a Cpk - should you also calculate a Cp?
Initiated before or at design concept finalization
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.
An interaction is defined as a dependence relationship between the response and the levels of two or more variables
No; if the process is centered - Cp will be the same; if not - Cpk is what you need to determine capabilty.

13. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 4?
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.

14. For what is an x-bar chart used?
Rank of 10 if there is >= 100 per 1000 piece Rank of 1 if there is <=.01 per 1000 pieces
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
Mistake-proofing.
Organize ideas into meaningful categories by recognizing their underlying similarity

15. What is a histogram?
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).
A chart that breaks the range of data into equal intervals and then shows the count of occurrences in each interval.
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.
68%

16. What is process capability?
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria
No -- if it is not the same - it can only be worse!
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.

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

18. What are two other names for an Ishikawa diagram?
Critical to quality.
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.
Defects Per Million Opportunities
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.

19. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 2?
No -- if it is not the same - it can only be worse!
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.
A scatterplot.

20. What does the abbreviation UCL stand for?
Upper control limit.
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
Is what induces the failure
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.

21. 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?
The primary operating characteristics of a product.
Mean time to replacement.
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.
Controlling quality at the source.

22. What quality tool formally incorporates the voice of the customer?
Prevention and appraisal costs are balanced against internal and external failure.
Represent the errors which are random variables with an assumed normal distribution with mean zero and a constant variance σ2.
QFD
Quality planning - design review - education and training - process control - IS costs - quality reporting - improvement project costs - working with suppliers before production.

23. 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).
Brand image.
Sampling for SPC is done real time.
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.

24. What is the formula for the standard deviation of a proportion?
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)
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).

25. In a regression - what does the p value of F tell you?
Workers - machines - materials.
An interaction is defined as a dependence relationship between the response and the levels of two or more variables
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).
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)

26. Name the structure associated with Quality Function Deployment.
Blame.
The House of Quality.
10 if Almost impossible to detect
Deming.

27. What is Type II Error?
Mean time to failure.
Walter A. Shewhart
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.

28. What is the 5S model?
= S x O x D S--> Severity O--> Occurrence D--> Detection Higher the number the worse it is
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.
Rapid improvement process.
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.

29. What is a Gantt chart?
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
Shows the temporal flow of activities in a project network.
Observed variation in response is caused by the input
Brand image.

30. What inventory approach contributes to process quality by "lowering the river to find the rocks?"
5%
Lean (or JIT).
Deming.
The secondary characteristics of a product; "bells and whistles."

31. What are the three main categories of assignable cause?
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
Workers - machines - materials.
A simple graph between two variables - visualize the type - degree of strength and shape of the relationship between two variables
Walter A. Shewhart

32. What are the four categories of costs in Juran's framework?
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality
Prevention - appraisal - internal failure - external failure.
The House of Quality.

33. If you can only collect categorical data - what type of SPC charting can you do?
Incoming materials inspection - inspection and testing - maintaining test equipment - materials/services consumed
An assertion or conjecture concerning one or more populations
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.
Attribute.

34. What is the formula for standard deviation?
No -- only if the process is also capable.
A scatterplot.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
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).

35. The Test Statistic (TS)
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
Complaint adjustment - returned material - warranty charges - allowances - loss of future business.
A random variable that summarizes the information from the sample(s).
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.

36. What is poka yoke?
50%
Workers - machines - materials.
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
Mistake-proofing.

37. Explain the difference between technical and functional service quality.
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
A time series plot.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)

38. What does the abbreviation LCL stand for?
Lower control limit.
The US national quality award.
No -- only if the process is also capable.
Attribute.

39. Test for Independence
Mistake-proofing.
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.
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
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.

40. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 1?
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
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).
Define - measure - analyze - improve - control.
The cycle time required to meet demand.

41. Define takt time.
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
The cycle time required to meet demand.
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
5%

42. Pareto Analysis
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
To obtain a certain desirable outcome from the process
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
The process of ranking opportunities to determine which of many potential opportunities should be pursued first.

43. Affinity Diagrams
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.
Data reduction to put a large number of qualitative inputs into a smaller number of major dimensions
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy
To manage the Six Sigma project.

44. With Six Sigma capability - how many defects per million opportunities would you see?
Initiated before or at design concept finalization
Used to create frequency distribution tally sheets
3.4 (assuming 1.5 sigma shift in the mean)
Variable.

45. Risk Priority Number RPN
= S x O x D S--> Severity O--> Occurrence D--> Detection Higher the number the worse it is
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)
Attribute.
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)

46. List two components of internal failure.
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
The secondary characteristics of a product; "bells and whistles."
The ratio of outputs to inputs; 1-scrap.
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.

47. In a regression - what does the standard error of the estimate tell you?
Is the consequence of the failure.
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.
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."

48. What is a spaghetti diagram?
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.
Represents the behavior of a process
Variable.
A simple graph between two variables - visualize the type - degree of strength and shape of the relationship between two variables

49. What is an affinity diagram?
The primary operating characteristics of a product.
A simple graph between two variables - visualize the type - degree of strength and shape of the relationship between two variables
Producer risk.
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.

50. Define aesthetic quality.
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
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
Pleasing to the senses.