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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 Baldrige Award?
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
1) Plot a Line chart of the data in time sequence 2) Draw a line at the median
The US national quality award.
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.

2. When yields decrease - what are the two effects on contribution?
Upper control limit.
QFD
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."

3. One factor at a time (OFAT)
The Japanese national quality award.
Hold all input variables constant except one. Observe the response as you vary the single input.
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
Prevention - appraisal - internal failure - external failure.

4. Define aesthetic quality.
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.
Shows the temporal flow of activities in a project network.
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy
Pleasing to the senses.

5. What type of risk is associated with Type II Error?
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
Consumer risk.
Variable.
The number of standard deviations some value is from the mean.

6. What happens to control limits on an SPC chart when sample size is increased?
They move closer to the center line.
It's good -- but it's still out of control!
Attribute
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)

7. List two appraisal costs.
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).
Producer risk.
Incoming materials inspection - inspection and testing - maintaining test equipment - materials/services consumed
A random variable that summarizes the information from the sample(s).

8. Effect ranking (Severity of the Defect)
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
3.4 (assuming 1.5 sigma shift in the mean)
Quality planning - design review - education and training - process control - IS costs - quality reporting - improvement project costs - working with suppliers before production.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none

9. What do you do when a process is out of control?
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
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.

10. What does the abbreviation UCL stand for?
Controlling quality at the source.
Upper control limit.
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))

11. If your process is capable at two sigma - what percentage of the output will you have to inspect to find defectives?
100%
Prevention - appraisal - internal failure - external failure.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)

12. Process check sheets
Initiated before or at design concept finalization
0.9^3 or 72.9%
Used to create frequency distribution tally sheets
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.

13. Test for constant variance
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.
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 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).
Brand image.

14. Define takt time.
Incoming materials inspection - inspection and testing - maintaining test equipment - materials/services consumed
Deming.
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.
The cycle time required to meet demand.

15. Failure effect
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
Is the consequence of the failure.

16. What is muda
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
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.
Waste.

17. What is the role of a black belt?
Prevention - appraisal - internal failure - external failure.
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
To manage the Six Sigma project.
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.

18. What is the difference between Lean and Six Sigma?
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.
50%
Mistake-proofing.

19. The data points on an SPC p-chart of defective percent plot below the mean. Is this good or bad?

20. What size should samples be for attribute SPC?
The cycle time required to meet demand.
Large enough to find two of the attribute - on average.
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
Represents the behavior of a process

21. List two components of prevention cost.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
Quality planning - design review - education and training - process control - IS costs - quality reporting - improvement project costs - working with suppliers before production.
Controlling quality at the source.
They move closer to the center line.

22. Who is a process owner?
A simple graph between two variables - visualize the type - degree of strength and shape of the relationship between two variables
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
Inventory = throughput x flow time.

23. What is DPMO?
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.
Mean time to failure.
Organize ideas into meaningful categories by recognizing their underlying similarity
Defects Per Million Opportunities

24. What type of risk is associated with Type 1 Error?
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."
Producer risk.
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.

25. What is Type II Error?
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.

26. For what is a p-chart used?
Conformance to specifications.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.
Variable.

27. What is written on the "spines" of a fishbone diagram?
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
= yij - y(bar)i --> value minus sum of that treatment (of row)
Causes that lead to a particular effect.
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.

28. An SPC chart shows no points outside the control limits. Does this mean the process is in control?
Controlling quality at the source.
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."
The US national quality award.
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.

29. For your SPC sample you weigh bags of potatoes. Is this variable or attribute SPC?
Deming.
Variable.
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
Concluding there has been an effect/change when there has not.

30. Definition of Interaction
An interaction is defined as a dependence relationship between the response and the levels of two or more variables
Method developed by Ishikawa to graphically display the causes of any given problem
A scatterplot.
No -- only if the process is also capable.

31. If you can only collect categorical data - what type of SPC charting can you do?
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.
Attribute.
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis

32. Define performance quality.
The primary operating characteristics of a product.
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
Technical quality is the "what" of the service; functional quality is the "how."
Lower control limit.

33. Approximately what percent of a normal distribution falls between ± 1 standard deviations from the mean?
68%
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"
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:
Complaint adjustment - returned material - warranty charges - allowances - loss of future business.

34. What inventory approach contributes to process quality by "lowering the river to find the rocks?"
Rapid improvement process.
Lean (or JIT).
Look to your customer - not to other firms. "You can always find someone shorter - fatter and balder!"
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.

35. What does the abbreviation LCL stand for?
Lower control limit.
Variable.
Vary two or more variables simultaneously - Multiple measurements are obtained under the same experimental conditions
They move closer to the center line.

36. A process is operating "in control." Does this mean the customer's requirements are met?
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.
Attribute.
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.
No -- only if the process is also capable.

37. Define conformance quality.
Quality planning - design review - education and training - process control - IS costs - quality reporting - improvement project costs - working with suppliers before production.
68%
The degree to which a product meets pre-established standards.
X-bar-bar

38. Who first studied randomness in industrial processes
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
Complaint adjustment - returned material - warranty charges - allowances - loss of future business.
Walter A. Shewhart

39. What is the role of a master black belt?
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria
Concluding there has been an effect/change when there has not.
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)

40. What is a Gantt chart?
Vary two or more variables simultaneously - Multiple measurements are obtained under the same experimental conditions
Shows the temporal flow of activities in a project network.
Represents the behavior of a process
68%

41. Stratified defect check sheets
Before production starts
Stratify a particular defect type according to logical criteria
The ratio of outputs to inputs; 1-scrap.
Method developed by Ishikawa to graphically display the causes of any given problem

42. In a regression - what does the coefficient of the intercept tell you
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.

43. Which type of SPC measurement is more precise - variable or attribute?
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)
Variable.
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
A random variable that summarizes the information from the sample(s).

44. What is the formula for the standard deviation of a proportion?
Before production starts
=sqrt((p*(1-p)/n)
Shows the temporal flow of activities in a project network.
The House of Quality.

45. Cause and Effect Diagrams
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
Method developed by Ishikawa to graphically display the causes of any given problem
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)

46. 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?
Controlling quality at the source.
False - because each machine will have different natural tolerances.
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.
Pleasing to the senses.

47. Daniel Test
Financial - customer - internal process - innovation and learning.
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
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:

48. Regression Analysis
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.
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
Fitness for use.
Technique used to relate through a model - one or more independent variables and a dependent variable (response)

49. What is an affinity diagram?
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
X-bar-bar
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:
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.

50. List two components of internal failure.
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.
Actual drawings - layouts - maps - etc which show where a defect occurs