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. Based on what principal can we use the normal distribution assumptions for SPC?
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.
Central Limit Theorem

2. Who developed the fishbone diagram?
99.73%
A chart that breaks the range of data into equal intervals and then shows the count of occurrences in each interval.
Observed variation in response is caused by the input
Kaoru Ishikawa.

3. Process check sheets
Used to create frequency distribution tally sheets
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.
Variable.

4. Define aesthetic quality.
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
The gap between what is promised and what is delivered.
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)
Pleasing to the senses.

5. What is the center line of a p-chart?
Sort - Set in Order - Shine - Standardize - Sustain
Incoming materials inspection - inspection and testing - maintaining test equipment - materials/services consumed
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.
p-bar - the long-run percent defective.

6. List two appraisal costs.
Incoming materials inspection - inspection and testing - maintaining test equipment - materials/services consumed
Taguchi
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
No -- if it is not the same - it can only be worse!

7. What is a spaghetti diagram?
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
A tool that shows the physical flows through a space.
68%

8. FMEA
Controlling quality at the source.
The ratio of outputs to inputs; 1-scrap.
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects
Observed variation in response is caused by the input

9. How are LQL and AQL determined in an acceptance sampling plan?
X-bar-bar
No -- only if the process is also capable.
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
Through producer/consumer negotiation.

10. Uses of regression
Prediction and estimation. based on an unknown x value - estimation is based on a known x value
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:
Look for the assignable cause of non-random variation.
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)

11. Pareto Analysis
Outside.
The process of ranking opportunities to determine which of many potential opportunities should be pursued first.
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
Lower control limit.

12. One factor at a time (OFAT)
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.
Observed variation in response is caused by the input
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.

13. What inventory approach contributes to process quality by "lowering the river to find the rocks?"
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Lean (or JIT).
A scatterplot.

14. List two components of internal failure.
1) Plot a Line chart of the data in time sequence 2) Draw a line at the median
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Attribute
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.

15. What is a dashboard?
A tool that shows performance along key dimensions all at once.
Upper control limit.
Scrap - rework - retest - downtime - yield losses - disposition costs.
Walter A. Shewhart

16. Why do you need two control charts for variables SPC?
Not necessarily.
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
Deming.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)

17. Design of Experiments (DOE) approach
The gap between specifications and how service is performed.
An interaction is defined as a dependence relationship between the response and the levels of two or more variables
Vary two or more variables simultaneously - Multiple measurements are obtained under the same experimental conditions
68%

18. What is the role of a black belt?
To manage the Six Sigma project.
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
Consumer risk.
= 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

19. What is a Pareto chart?
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
A descending order-sorted bar chart with a cumulative percentage line.
The House of Quality.
The gap between specifications and how service is performed.

20. Residual
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
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)
Critical to quality.

21. What quality guru emphasizes management as a system?
Used to create frequency distribution tally sheets
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.
Controlling quality at the source.
Deming.

22. What does SIPOC stand for?
1) Plot a Line chart of the data in time sequence 2) Draw a line at the median
Critical to quality.
Defects Per Million Opportunities
Supplier - input - process - output - customer.

23. Risk Priority Number RPN
Through producer/consumer negotiation.
= S x O x D S--> Severity O--> Occurrence D--> Detection Higher the number the worse it is
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).
Linearity - normality - homoscedasticity - independence.

24. Approximately what percent of a normal distribution falls between ± 2 standard deviations from the mean?
The gap between what customers expect and the service they receive.
95%
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.
It looks to minimize the probability of a failure - or to minimize its effects

25. What type of risk is associated with Type II Error?
A simple graph between two variables - visualize the type - degree of strength and shape of the relationship between two variables
Concluding there has been an effect/change when there has not.
Consumer risk.
Attribute.

26. Which type of SPC measurement is more precise - variable or attribute?
Variable.
What the value of the dependent variable is when the independent variable is zero.
Large enough to find two of the attribute - on average.
10 for Hazardous without warning 1 for none

27. What is the formula for standard deviation?
=sqrt(Σ(x-x-bar)^2)/(n-1))
Deming.
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
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).

28. What is DMADV?
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
X-bar-bar
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.
Defects Per Million Opportunities

29. Failure effect
The Japanese national quality award.
Is the consequence of the failure.
Speed - courtesy - competence - and ease of repair.
To monitor a process when measurement by variables is used.

30. What are two other names for an Ishikawa diagram?
Variable.
No -- only if the process is also capable.
Organize ideas into meaningful categories by recognizing their underlying similarity
Fishbone - cause-and-effect diagram.

31. What is muda
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
Critical to quality.
Waste.
Define - measure - analyze - design - verify.

32. Defect location check sheets
A brainstorming tool that shows the connections between ideas.
Actual drawings - layouts - maps - etc which show where a defect occurs
100%
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.

33. When is Cpk used?
To do a capability study for a non-centered process.
1) Obtain Residuals 2) Fill out table --> y coordinates: F = 100 (i-.5)/N x coordinates: Ordered Residual 3) Plot on Normal Probability Paper
Shifts - Trends - Repeating patterns - Correlation with known events
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).

34. When yields decrease - what are the two effects on contribution?
Fitness for use.
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).
Fewer good units to sell - increased variable cost/unit.
Assigns scores to weighted criteria for each project under consideration.

35. Uses of regression - Control
To obtain a certain desirable outcome from the process
Is the consequence of the failure.
Mean time to failure.
Not necessarily.

36. F value
Because the mean and standard deviation are independent of each other.
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)
To mentor/coach (and sometimes train) black belts.

37. Statistical Hypothesis
Is the way in which the failure is manifested.
An assertion or conjecture concerning one or more populations
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
Performance - features - conformance - reliability - durability - serviceability - aesthetics - perceived quality

38. What are the four regression assumptions?
Reliability - Assurance - Responsiveness - Tangibles - Empathy
Concluding there has not been an effect/change when there has.
Linearity - normality - homoscedasticity - independence.
Hold all input variables constant except one. Observe the response as you vary the single input.

39. Who first studied randomness in industrial processes
0.9^3 or 72.9%
To monitor a process when measurement by attribute is used.
Attribute
Walter A. Shewhart

40. What is a CAVE man?
Someone who is consistently against virtually everything.
Inventory = throughput x flow time.
X-bar-bar
Lean (or JIT).

41. What is a network diagram?
Brand image.
Linearity - normality - homoscedasticity - independence.
Deming.
A diagram that shows the relationships between activities in a project network.

42. What is the 5S model?
Lean (or JIT).
To manage the Six Sigma project.
System to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results.
The target number of standard deviations from the mean for specifications.

43. Define benchmarking.
Lower skill requirements - faster - less chance for error.
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.
Actual drawings - layouts - maps - etc which show where a defect occurs
F_alpha - df(tr) - df (error)

44. What is a Gage R&R?
How much variance you expect around the prediction; two SEs gives you a 95% confidence interval.
The gap between what management thinks customers want and what customers really want.
Studying firms with the best performance in a particular area.
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).

45. An SPC chart shows no points outside the control limits. Does this mean the process is in control?
The amount of variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the variation in the independent variable(s).
Concluding there has been an effect/change when there has not.
No -- the variation also has to be random and "expected."
Is the consequence of the failure.

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

47. What is Value Stream Mapping?
A tool that shows where there is waste in a process.
Deming.
The gap between what management thinks customers want and the process specifications.
If the Response vs. Levels graph if the response lines are not parallel (crossing)

48. Who is a process owner?
The manager in charge of a process being improved in a Six Sigma project.
The ability of a process to consistently meet customer specifications.
Rank of 10 if there is >= 100 per 1000 piece Rank of 1 if there is <=.01 per 1000 pieces
Variable.

49. Define takt time.
Different types of defects are listed (used for Pareto chart)
To be a member of a Six Sigma project team.
A simple graph between two variables - visualize the type - degree of strength and shape of the relationship between two variables
The cycle time required to meet demand.

50. Failure Mode
A chart that breaks the range of data into equal intervals and then shows the count of occurrences in each interval.
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
Lean is waste reduction - Six Sigma is variation reduction.