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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. Define features.
Used to create frequency distribution tally sheets
1) Plot a Line chart of the data in time sequence 2) Draw a line at the median
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.
The secondary characteristics of a product; "bells and whistles."

2. What is a dashboard?
99.73%
A tool that shows performance along key dimensions all at once.
Conformance to specifications.
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.

3. Pareto Analysis
The process of ranking opportunities to determine which of many potential opportunities should be pursued first.
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.

4. Define takt time.
3.4 (assuming 1.5 sigma shift in the mean)
The cycle time required to meet demand.
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.
Attribute.

5. What is the center line of a p-chart?
The gap between specifications and how service is performed.
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)
Taguchi
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.

6. What are two other names for an Ishikawa diagram?
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
Attribute
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper

7. Your production process meets customer specifications. Is your process in control?
Not necessarily.
Attribute
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
Large enough to find two of the attribute - on average.

8. What is the role of a green belt?
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.
Prevention - appraisal - internal failure - external failure.
Shows the temporal flow of activities in a project network.
1) Plot a Line chart of the data in time sequence 2) Draw a line at the median

9. What type of risk is associated with Type 1 Error?
Producer risk.
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
A tool that shows where there is waste in a process.
Through producer/consumer negotiation.

10. What is CTQ?
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).
Critical to quality.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
Conformance to specifications.

11. Regression
Represents the behavior of a process
Represent the errors which are random variables with an assumed normal distribution with mean zero and a constant variance σ2.
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
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

12. What is written on the "spines" of a fishbone diagram?
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
100%

13. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 1?
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper
A random variable that summarizes the information from the sample(s).
Define - measure - analyze - improve - control.

14. Disadvantages of DOE

15. Definition of Interaction
Attribute.
The ratio of outputs to inputs; 1-scrap.
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.
An interaction is defined as a dependence relationship between the response and the levels of two or more variables

16. What is the 5S model?
100%
Attribute
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.

17. What is Kaizen?
Is what induces the failure
Taguchi
50%
Rapid improvement process.

18. FMEA
Not necessarily.
To manage the Six Sigma project.
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects

19. Taguchi's experimental designs are of this type.
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
Fractional factorial designs (orthogonal arrays)
Attribute
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events

20. List two appraisal costs.
Incoming materials inspection - inspection and testing - maintaining test equipment - materials/services consumed
Data reduction to put a large number of qualitative inputs into a smaller number of major dimensions
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria

21. For what is an x-bar chart used?
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
A scatterplot.
Upper control limit.

22. In your major - courses are pass-fail. Would you monitor performance using attribute or variable SPC?
The number of standard deviations some value is from the mean.
Attribute
95%
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper

23. Which quality guru developed the concept of loss to society?
Brand image.
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
Taguchi
Fractional factorial designs (orthogonal arrays)

24. Complete this quality phrase: 'Fix the process - not the _____.'
Defects Per Million Opportunities
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
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

25. List Garvin's eight dimensions of product quality.
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
A scatterplot.

26. What does Crosby say about benchmarking?
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"
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
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.
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.

27. Histogram by Hand
Hold all input variables constant except one. Observe the response as you vary the single input.
Taguchi
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

28. What is the role of a master black belt?
Outside.
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.

29. Defect location check sheets
Data reduction to put a large number of qualitative inputs into a smaller number of major dimensions
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
Actual drawings - layouts - maps - etc which show where a defect occurs

30. Define durability.
Mean time to replacement.
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper
3.4 (assuming 1.5 sigma shift in the mean)

31. Explain the difference between technical and functional service quality.
Controlling quality at the source.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria

32. Process check sheets
Used to create frequency distribution tally sheets
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.
Waste.

33. What are the 5 Ss?
The process of ranking opportunities to determine which of many potential opportunities should be pursued first.
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
Is what induces the failure

34. Based on what principal can we use the normal distribution assumptions for SPC?
Central Limit Theorem
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
Can't tell without a Range chart.

35. Who is a process owner?
To manage the Six Sigma project.
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
To obtain a certain desirable outcome from the process
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.

36. Failure effect
An experiment where one or more variables believed to have an effect on an experimental outcome are identified and manipulated according to a plan
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
Is the consequence of the failure.
Blame.

37. Non-random patterns (Run Charts)
A scatterplot.
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
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
Consumer risk.

38. What type of risk is associated with Type II Error?
Consumer risk.
A time series plot.
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."
An assertion or conjecture concerning one or more populations

39. Failure cause
Is the consequence of the failure.
Is what induces the failure
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.
Defects Per Million Opportunities

40. What is Jidoka?
Controlling quality at the source.
Upper control limit.
Not necessarily.
An assertion or conjecture concerning one or more populations

41. Does it ever make sense to accept a job when a process is incapable?
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
No -- only if the process is also capable.

42. Defect check sheets
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
Hold all input variables constant except one. Observe the response as you vary the single input.

43. What is a spaghetti diagram?
The cycle time required to meet demand.
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.
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
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.

44. In the Service Quality Gap Model - what is Gap 2?
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
Hold all input variables constant except one. Observe the response as you vary the single input.
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)

45. Statistical Hypothesis
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.
The US national quality award.
An assertion or conjecture concerning one or more populations
0.9^3 or 72.9%

46. What is the difference between Lean and Six Sigma?
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.

47. Approximately what percent of a normal distribution falls between ± 2 standard deviations from the mean?
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"
95%
Variable.
QFD

48. What is DMADV?
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
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
Yes - when there are opportunities to improve - when contribution margin is adequate - when achieving market share is important.
Through producer/consumer negotiation.

49. If a three-stage process has 90% yields at each stage - what is the overall yield?
0.9^3 or 72.9%
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.
95%
Conformance to specifications.

50. What is a CAVE man?
Sampling for SPC is done real time.
Producer risk.
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
3.4 (assuming 1.5 sigma shift in the mean)