Institute for Skill Enhancement and Learning

Lean six sigma Green Belt Exam preparation question bank

Which best reflects the Six Sigma view of achieving good quality?
C
Have your product viewed as the premium product in the marketplace.
Providing the best features in the marketplace at the lowest possible cost.
Reducing the number of defects in a production system to optimize profits.
Eliminating all defects in the production system.

Lean requires greater mathematical sophistication compared to Six Sigma.

B
True
False

Six Sigma is about Quality, while Lean is about:

D
Utilizing “belts”
Improving processes using statistical techniques
Thorough analysis of complex problems
Increasing speed and reducing complexity

Continuous Improvement using Six Sigma methodologies requires the use of the process.
D
A DMADV B DMAIV C DMADC D DMAIC

What is the meaning of Kaizen?

D
A continuous incremental improvement
B Standardization of existing processes
C Use of control charts
D Increasing the capability index of a process
While the Traditional View of quality states that "Errors are inevitable", the Six Sigma view
of quality states that "Errors can be ".
A
A eliminated B reduced C exorcised D managed

The sigma in the term 'six sigma' stands for:

D
mean
mode
variance
standard deviation

Many companies have attempted to imitate the Toyota model of LEAN operations.
However, what does analysis of the Toyota operation indicate as the primary reason for its
success with the LEAN initiative?
B
All manufacturing employees are certified at least at a Six Sigma green belt equivalency.
They have a culture of practicing the scientific method at all levels of the workforce.
Production lines are constructed to remain flexible and responsive.
Processes remain flexible to allow variation in the ways suppliers and customers connect.

Who is credited with inventing lean?

C
Henrry Ford (Ford Motor Co.)
Jack Welch (GE)
Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo (Toyota)
Paul and Joseph Galvin (Motorola)

The Analyze phase of the DMAIC process has the characteristic of:
C
identifying the problem statement and creating a project charter
identifying the voice of the customer
quantifying relationships between the x's and y's
collecting data and checking if the current process is capable of meeting customer specifications
In addition to keeping the workplace clean in a lean organization, refers to keeping only
the necessary items in a work area, that there is a place for everything, and that everything is
in a constant state of readiness.
B
Spatial planning
Good housekeeping
Inventory sorting
Facilities location

The correct order of phases in a six sigma project is

B
DAMIC
DMAIC
DIMAC
DMIAC

In the context of quality management, the definition of the word "quality" is not
D
Meeting customer requirements
Continuous improvement
Consistency/reliability
Adding features to a product or service

Six Sigma uses DMAIC; Lean uses DMADV.

B
True
False
C
D

A is a notification system for communicating the need for additional parts to an internal
or external supplier.
D
A Pokayoke
B Flowchart
C SIPOC
D Kanban
The 5 "S"s that are part of the Lean toolkit are:
A
"Sort", "Straighten", "Shine", "Standardize", and "Sustain"
"Sort", "Straighten", "Shine", "Standardize", and "Sell"
"Sort", "Straighten", "Shine", "Standardize", and "Soften"
"Sort", "Straighten", "Shine", "Standardize", and "Simulate"

brings action and intuition to the table, quickly attacking low hanging fruit with kaizen
(continual improvement) events. uses statistical tools to uncover root causes and provide
metrics as mile markers.
C
Six Sigma, Lean
Lean, Kaizen
Lean, Six Sigma
Six Sigma, Six Sigma

What is the key concept of the Six Sigma core philosophy?

B
Six Sigma is a business improvement approach that seeks to perform the "5S"s
Six Sigma is a business improvement approach that seeks to find and eliminate causes of defects and errors
Six Sigma is a cost cutting approach that seeks to identify and eliminate unnecessary workers
Six Sigma is a revenue generating approach that seeks to find ways to produce in greater quantity

From where did the term “six sigma” originate?

A
A It is based on a statistical measure that equates to 3.4 or fewer defects per million opportunities B
IIt is based on a statistical measure that equates to 5% or fewer defects per million opportunities C It is
based on a statistical measure that equates to 1% or fewer defects per million opportunities D It is
based on a statistical measure that equates 0.26% or fewer defects per million opportunities
21 How the rules of the Toyota Production System (TPS) are transmitted can best be
described as follows:
C
Supervisors state the explicit rules repeatedly until the workers have them memorized.
Workers are required to read the TPS Manual and memorize the rules before the start of a new process.
Workers discover the rules as a consequence of solving problems facilitated by supervisors using the
Socratic method.
Workers learn the system by visiting one of the training facilities in Japan.

The Senior Manager responsible for the overall success of a Six Sigma project is the .
C
Black Belt
Master Black Belt
Champion
Green Belt

Who pioneered Six Sigma?

D
Microsoft pioneered the concept of Six Sigma as an approach to measuring product and service quality.
Toyota pioneered the concept of Six Sigma as an approach to lean production
Ford pioneered the concept of Six Sigma as an approach to reaching their slogan of "Quality is job 1".
Motorola pioneered the concept of Six Sigma as an approach to measuring product and service quality.

Lean addresses visible problems in processes, while Six Sigma is more concerned with less
visible ones like variation in performance
A
True
False
CD

When comparing TQM and Six Sigma,

D
Only Six Sigma has a structured Tollgate process for moving from one phase to another
Only Six Sigma uses the DMAIC process to guide improvement projects
Only Six Sigma uses fulltime Black Belts to facilitate the process
All of the above
Which of the following is true of the role of a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma?
C
He/she is the senior manager that is responsible overall, including providing resources, aligning with
mission
He/she works part time on LSS in his/her own work area
He/she is a full time LSS employee, responsible for coaching, tracking progress and mentoring
He/she is a subject matter expert

In the Lean philosophy, overproduction, inventory, rework and motion away from the work
area are examples of
C
Noise
Value-added activities
Waste
Necessary costs

What does Lean add to Six Sigma?

C
Defect reduction to 3.4 per million
Statistical Methods
Speed
All of the above

TQM lacked the aspect of continuous improvement, leading to regression back to

original problem states.
B
Improve
Control
Define
Value Stream Mapping

The best response to those who criticize Lean Six Sigma (LSS) projects would be as follows:
C
You’re right. Most LSS projects fail.
Lean alone is better.
What would you rather do instead?
Six Sigma alone is better.
How is the application of Six Sigma to service industries different from manufacturing?
B
There is no difference
The service processes are often invisible, complex, and not well defined or well documented.
Work in service businesses requires less human intervention
The culture of a service organization is usually more scientific.

What are the four key measures of performance that must be examined when applying Six
Sigma to services?
A
Accuracy, Cycle Time, Cost, Customer Satisfaction
ROA, ROE, ROI, and Risk
Revenue, Cost, Quality, and Cycle Time
Accuracy, Revenue, Cost, and Customer Satisfaction

Which of the following is NOT among the fourteen points suggested by Deming for Quality
Management?
B
Remove barriers that prevent pride of workmanship
Use exhortations and awards to motivate employees
Institute modern methods of training
Eliminate numerical quotas

3.4 Defects per million opportunities for 6-sigma quality assumes a 1.5 sigma shift.
A
True
False
C
D

Why should a business use Lean Six Sigma?

D
eliminate defects
optimize process flow
utilize advanced statistical processes to achieve full potential
all of the above
TQM is based largely on worker empowerment and teams; Six Sigma is owned by business
leader champions.
A
True
False
C
D

Fujio Cho, President of Toyota Motor Company, said that "... no mere process can turn a
poor performer into a star. Rather, you have to address "
A
employees' fundamental way of thinking
the training of employees in Six Sigma
political issues that get in the way
appropriate compensation for the best workers

The Lean Six Sigma methodology helps an organization to .

A
develop their next generation of leaders.
keep their functions and locations working with separate vocabularies.
do things slower than their competition.
measure their processes only in a qualitative manner.

Lean Six Sigma can only be applied to manufacturing companies.

B
True
False
C
D

Lean Six Sigma projects goals should be set based on the voice.
C
shareholder's
supplier's
customer's
manager's
The combination of Lean and Six Sigma provides the tools to create business
improvement.
D
eventual
one-time
minimal
ongoing

Six Sigma quality level implies no more than 3.4 defects per opportunities
C
hundred
thousand
million
billion

What is the most significant change in the quality movement in recent times?
B
re-emergence of the TQM movement
emphasis on the impact of quality improvement on the “bottom line” results
emphasis on reengineering as opposed to continuous improvement
focus on making American companies as quality conscious as the Japanese

TQM is focused on improvement with little financial accountability; Six Sigma requires a
verifiable return on investment and focus on the bottom line.
A
True
False
CD

TQM activities are truly crossfunctional; Six Sigma projects focus on a single functional area.
B
True
False
C
D

If there are 50 defects out of 1000 opportunities, what is the value of dpmo?
D
A 0.05
B 50
C 5000
D 50000
What is "defects per million opportunities (dpmo)"?
D
A typcial way that customers express their requirements
B [Opportunities for Error] / 1,000,000 * [Defects per unit]
C [Defects per unit] / 1,000,000 * [Opportunities for Error]
D A measure of Six Sigma quality

What is a defect?
C
A part that is rejected because it does not meet customer standards
A product that is more than one standard deviation away from the process mean
Any mistake or error that is passed on to the customer
Anything that occurs once in a million opportunities

During which phases of the Six Sigma process can you adjust the scope of the project?
D
A Define and Measure
B Analyze and Improve
C Control
D Both a) and b)

The design process does not contribute to value creation, since it does not involve the actual
production.
B
True
False
CD

A metric is a verifiable measurement of some particular characteristic, stated either numerically (e.g.,
percentage of defects) or in qualitative terms (e.g., level of satisfaction – “poor” or “excellent”).
A
True
False
CD

Why are metrics vital to Six Sigma applications?

D
because the metric system is now used worldwide for scientific applications
because it is a requirement of the Lean philosophy
because they guarantee an optimal solution to business problems
because they facilitate fact-based decisions.
What is the DMAIC Process?
A
A define, measure, analyze, improve, control
B decide, manage, authorize, instigate, critique
C discuss, moderate, advise, invest, counsel
D data study, mediate, assign, inform, centralize

The goal of the define phase is to

D
Identify customers and their priorities
Identify a project suitable for Six Sigma efforts
Identify CTQ’s
All of the above

The goal of the Improve phase is to identify means to remove the causes of defects
B
True
False

How does a process focus differ from a traditional organization’s focus?

B
The process focus emphasizes silos
The process focus adopts a cross-functional view
The process focus creates several layers of hierarchy
The process focus takes the "vertical" organization chart view of things

The goal of the measure phase is to

C
Identify CTQ’s that the customer considers to have the most impact on quality.
Understand why defects are generated by identifying the key variables
Identify the Xs in a process and collect data on them
Modify the process to stay within the acceptable range

What is a process?
D
any random sequence of activities
a set of rules that must be followed in order to communicate ideas
activities that reduce cost
a sequence of activities that is intended to achieve some result.
The goal of the analyze phase is to
B
Draw charts and graphs
Determine the most likely causes of defects
Identify means to remove the causes of the defects
Use the most advanced statistical methods possible

The goal of the control phase is to determine how to maintain the improvements put in place
A
True
False
C
D

means doing the right things to create the most value for the company.
A
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Productivity
Value

Which is not considered when developing your company's balanced scorecard?

C
historical picture of typical financial reporting measurements
how quickly your customer wants to receive your product or service
national economic indicators
employee healthcare programs

Adding DSS to the Lean Six Sigma enables updating of decisions.

A
A dynamic B top down C traditional D static

Support processes are those that contribute to the successful performance of an

organization’s value- creation processes, employees, and daily operations.
A
True
False
CD
What are the key determinants of profitability that underline Six Sigma?
C
The Best Quality possible at any cost
The highest productivity at minimally acceptable quality standards
Productivity, Cost, and Quality that satisfies customers
The smallest workforce possible

Value-creation processes (sometimes called core processes), are those which are most
important to“running the business” and maintaining or achieving a sustainable competitive
advantage.
A
True
False
C
D

Explain the role of quality in improving a firm’s profitability

D
Differentiation from competitors, permitting higher prices, increasing revenue
Improves firm's reputation and perceived value of product, thus increasing sales and revenue
Saves on rework, scrap, warranty expenses, thus reducing costs
All of the above

In total quality, individuals inside an enterprise can be viewed as suppliers who work for
internal or external customers.
A
True
False
C
D

The ability to identify and transfer best practices within the organization is known as Internal
Benchmarking.
A
True
False
C
D
Distinguish between descriptive and inferential statistics
B
Descriptive statistics is graphical, inferential is not
Descriptive statistics summarize existing conditions, inferential helps make decisions about a population
based on a sample
Descriptive statistics summarize existing conditions, inferential helps forecast the future
Descriptive statistics summarize existing conditions, inferential describes imaginary ones

A population is a complete set or collection of objects of interest. A sample is a subset of

objects taken from a population.
A
True
False
C
D

Statistics is the science concerned with “the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation,
and presentation of data.”
A
True
False
C
D

Which of the following is true regarding the Balanced Scorecard

A
It is a measurement system that looks at the organization from different perspectives.
It is a measurement system that emphaizes a balance between increasing revenue and reducing costs.
It is a statistical tool to improve the quality of a process.
Is a qualitative tool that assumes that measurement is overrated, and intuitive decisions are the best.

3.4 defects per million opportunities, which we normally define as 6 sigma, really corresponds
to a sigma value of 4.5, to account for a 'drift' of 1.5 sigma.
A
T
F
C
D
When using the Normal Probability Plot to check for normality in a data set, what should the
analyst look for?
B
data points that fall within the two outer blue lines on the Minitab chart and p-values that are relatively low
data points that fall with the two outer blue lines on the Minitab chart and p-values that are relatively high
data points that follow a symmetrical bell-shape - ignore p values
data points clustered at one end of the plot - ignore p values

Six Sigma is about analysis, and corporate culture is an irrelevant issue where Six Sigma is
concerned.
B
True
False
C
D

Data are collected on several variables at one point in time. This is an example of
A
Cross-sectional data
Time series data
Discrete data
Continuous data

A graph that shows the distribution of a variable is a .

A
A histogram
B scatterplot
C matrix Plot
D pie chart

The primary purpose of a graph is to

A
communicate visually what would otherwise be difficult to do
show data in at least 3 colors and no more than 5
display data in a 3-dimensional image
impress a client with the capability of the software package
Assuming normal distribution, Mean = 80 and Std deviation = 10, approximately % of the
data will fall between 60 and 100.
B
A 67%
B 95%
C 99%
D 99.99%

A median is preferred over the mean when

B
There are too many observations
There are outliers in the data
The data are normally distributed
The population standard deviation is known

The interquartile range is equal to

C
The distance between two consecutive quartiles
The distance between the largest and the smallest number in the sample
The distance between quartile 1 and quartile 3
A quarter of the distance between the largest and the smallest number

The standard deviation is

A
standardized measure of the deviation from the mean
The square of the variance; it is measured in squared units
It is identical to the interquartile range
It is equal to 68% of the range

Consider the following 13 observations: 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17, 20, 23; The median
value is equal to:
D
10
17
15
14

If the mean of a normal distribution is 30 and the standard deviation is 5, then 95% of the
observations lie between 25 and 35.
B
True
False
If you needed to analyze the number of phone calls a crisis hotline center received
throughout a 24 hour period in order to determine staffing needs, which of the following
would you use to graphically represent your findings?
C
A Pie Chart
B Line Chart
C Histogram
D Scatter Plot

Consider the following sample of 5 numbers: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; The sample standard deviation used
to estimate the population standard deviation is equal to:
D
A 100
B 10
C 2.5
D 1.58

Consider the following 13 observations: 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17, 20, 23; The range is
equal to:
C
5
23
18
15

On a given box plot, what does the box itself represent?

B
the box represents one standard deviation from the mean
the box represents the interquartile range
the box represents half of the interquartile range
the box represents all observations that are not outliers

Which of the following measures is often misleading because of skewness?

B
Median
Mean
Mode
Range
Consider the following 5 numbers: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; The mean value is equal to:
C
A 6
B 6.5
C 7
D 7.5

If the left tail of a distribution is more pronounced than the right, the function is said to have
positive Skewness.
B
True
False
CD

analysis means looking at data one variable at a time.

C
Regression
Variance
Univariate
Multivariate

The observation that occurs most often in a sample is called the

B
Mean
Mode
Median
None of the above

What is the difference between a Pareto Chart and a Histogram?

C
There is no difference
A histogram is used for nominal data, Pareto chart for continuous data
Pareto charts are used for finding the most significant items, histograms to look at a distribution
Histograms group the data in a sequence from largest frequency to the smallest, Pareto charts go from
smallest to largest

Skewness is the degree of asymmetry of a distribution

A
True
False
C
D
A scatter plot helps visualize relationships between variables
A
True
False
C
D

If there are outliers on the high side in a set of data, then the mean will be greater than the
median.
A
True
False
C
D

Which of the following characterize(s) a good graphic?

D
having something to say
multidimensional data (or at least enough data in one dimension)
putting data in context
All of the above.

A distribution with a higher Kurtosis measure is more peaked.

A
True
False
C
D

In samples where there is a regular (timed) pattern in the data outside the normal trend, we
must adjust for .
D
outliers
sensitivity
data corruption
seasonality
The arithmetic mean of the errors in time series forecasts is called .
A
Bias
MAD
MAPE
MSE

The average magnitude of error in a time series forecast is called .

B
Bias
MAD
MAPE
MSE

In Time Series Forecasting, the average of the errors expressed as percentages of the actual
value is called the .
C
Bias
MAD
MAPE
MSE

The penalizes larger errors more heavily than smaller errors, and is similar to variance.
D
Bias
MAD
MAPE
MSE

If data are stationary, then

A
the means show no trend
any curvature in the plot of the means must be predictable within a specified range
standard deviation is used in forecasting process averages
both a and b

A seasonal index of 1.2 means that

C
The observations for that season are 1.2 times the value for the previous season
The observations for that season grew at a rate of 20% each year
The observations for that season are 20% above the expectation based on the underlying trend
The observations for that season are 120% of the season with the lowest index
Time series forecasting helps determine the root causes of the variation in Y
B
True
False
C
D

If the seasonal indices for quarters 1, 2, and 3 are 1.20, 1.05, and 1.00 respectively, what can
you say about the seasonal index for quarter 4?
B
It will be greater than 1
It will be less than 1
It will be equal to 1
There is insufficient data to conclude anything

Which of the following statement is true regarding Bias and MAD from a time series forecast?
A
MAD is always greater than or equal to the BIAS
BIAS tells you the magnitude of error, while MAD tells you the direction
MAD can sometimes be negative
MAD can never be greater than the Bias

For a certain set of time series data, forecasts were done using a moving average. The Bias is
- 4.00. If every single error term is negative, which of the following can you say with
certainty?
C
The MAD value will be greater than +4.00
The MAD value will be less than -4.00
The MAD value will be exactly + 4.00
The MAD value will be between -4.00 and +4.00

Sales for the past 4 quarters are (in $ million): 5, 8, 7, 12. A 3-period moving average forecast
for period 5 sales is:
C
8
12
9
10.66
Six Sigma quality is reflected by a process capability index that is
C
A at least 1.00
B at least 1.50
C at least 2.00
D exactly equal to 0

The proportion of the output of a process that is within specifications is called:

D
Process Control
R-squared
Standard Error
Process Capability

A product specification is 24.00 + or - 0.03. The process mean is 24.0014, with a standard
deviation of 0.00967. What is the Cpk value? [you should be able to answer such questions
with numbers changed]
A
A 0.9875
B 1.0806
C 1.034
D 1.523

Roles and responsibilities are tracked using a chart.

A
RASCI
Gantt
SIPOC
PIMS

"Project Scoping" refers to

A
Defining the beginning and end of a process
The process of aligning the project to the company's mission
The process of deciding on the team members for the project
The process of expanding the scope of a project based on new information
Financial return should not be a factor in choosing a Six Sigma project. The focus should only
be on quality.
B
True
False
C
D

Probability of success is not an issue one should consider when choosing a Six Sigma project
B
True
False
C
D

What is a team?
A
A small number of people with complementary skills, committed to a common purpose
A minimum of 10 people from a department
A large number (typically more than 25) of individuals from across the organization
A legal entity that has its own rights and privileges within an organization

The establishes the preliminary objectives of a Six Sigma project.

C
Mission Statement
Team Agenda
Project Charter
Voice of Customer

The project chosen should have a fit with the strategy of the firm
A
True
False
C
D

The purpose of a Gantt Chart is to:

A
Track the scheduling of the project phases
Create a communication channel with suppliers and customers.
Track the roles and responsibilities of the team members
Map a process from beginning to end
What are the steps in the Project Planning process?
D
project initiation, deployment, control
creation of plan, execution
definition, execution, tracking
project definition, resource planning, scheduling, tracking/control

During the Define phase of a six sigma project, the following problem statement was formed.
"During the last 12 months, the time to process customer x's invoices has been too long."
This problem statement:
C
is inappropriate as a Six Sigma project
is easy to tie to a goal statement
lacks specificity
contains all the elements of the SMART checklist

is a technique for including customer input in the design process of a product or

service.
C
Concurrent engineering
Action Register
House of Quality
Pareto Analysis

In addition to external customers, every employee also has an who receives goods or
services within the company. For example, manufacturing is a of purchasing, and a
nursing unit is a of a hospital laundry.
A
Internal customer, customer, customer
Internal supplier, supplier, supplier
External supplier, supplier, supplier
External supplier, customer customer

Inputs and outputs of a process are identified in the following stage of a Six Sigma process:
A
A Define B Measure C Analyze D Control
Why is it important to identify Critical To Quality (CTQ) characteristics in the design stage
of a new product?
C
CTQs come from detailed engineering analysis, hence are more important than any other design issues
CTQs determine the cost of the project, and minimizing cost is the most important goal
Incorporating the Voice of the Customer in the design stage is the best way to satisfy a customer
The Voice of the Employees determines what goes into the design, and treating employees well is
important

The House of Quality helps to:

B
provide a single quality metric for the organization
prioritize areas for improvement
implement the results of a Six Sigma project
clarify the costs associated with quality

According to Kano Analysis, "Dissatisfiers" are

A
aspects of the product that are taken for granted; if absent, they cause dissatisfaction
features of the product that help you stand out from the competition
negative aspects of a product; when removed, they delight your customers
the presence of features on a product that the customer did not ask for

SIPOC is a high-level process map that defines the boundaries of a Six Sigma project
A
True
False
C
D

The PIMS model of Customer Satisfaction looks for customer feedback on the following
dimensions
C
Quality and Performance
Performance and Cost
Performance and Importance
Cost and Quality
Kano analysis is a way to prioritize customer requirements based on their impact on:
C
Quality
Cost
Customer Satisfaction
Speed of Delivery

A tool for organizing a large number of ideas, opinions, and facts relating to a broad problem
or subject area is called
B
Response Surface Methodology
Affinity Diagram
Box Plot
Residual Plot

The purpose of an affinity diagram is to

B
show the relationship between dependent and independent variables
organize data into logical categories
show which data is most important for the project
map a process from beginning to end
A SIPOC diagram is used to
C
standardize the inputs and outputs of a process.
create a communication channel with suppliers and customers.
identify the relevant elements of a process improvement project.
visualize quantitative data regarding inputs and outputs of a process.

What are CTQs?

C
They are key characteristics of products or processes that cannot be measured.
They are the Cost to Quality ratios of competing alternatives for improvement of a process in order to
satisfy the customer.
They are key measurable characteristics whose specifications must be met to satisfy the customer.
They are characteristics of a product or service that are least important to the customer, and should be
ignored.
 is a graphic tool for defining the relationship between customer desires and the
firm/product capabilities in meeting them.
A
A House of Quality
B Fishbone Diagram
C SIPOC
D Frequency Histogram

Focusing on one single measurement of a process is likely to promote

C
good decisions
value-added behavior
dysfunctional behavior
the benefits of Lean Six Sigma

Distinguish between a process map and a value stream map

D
A value stream map highlights only non-value added activities, a process map highlights the value added
ones
A value stream map highlights all activities, a process map shows the times that activities take.
A process map highlights all activities, and the times that activities take, a value stream map does not
A value stream map highlights all activities, and the times that activities take, a process map does not

Which of the four types of Costs of Quality will have the greatest negative impact?
D
A prevention cost B appraisal cost C internal failure D external failure

In Cost of Quality (COQ), Lean Six Sigma implementation will lead to a shift of spending
from External Failure costs to .
C
Appraisal Costs
Internal Failure Costs
Prevention Costs
Return Costs

A downside of measuring Cost of Quality is that:

C
It measures only prevention costs, ignoring all others
It measures the cost of external failure, but ignores internal failure costs
It only measures a company's costs, not the customer's.
It measures costs in Yen instead of Dollars.
Dissatisfiers are qualities expected in a product. Their absence causes dissatisfaction.
A
True
False
C
D

Service Family Analysis may be conducted to determine if:

C
Different families of customers should receive different service
The family of services offered will meet customer specifications
Processes are similar enough to be flowcharted and analyzed together
Which process control charts are appropriate for a given project

is a visual tool that helps identify, demonstrate, and hence help decrease the waste in
a process.
B
A Frequency Histogram
Value Stream Mapping
House of Quality Mapping
Designing for Six Sigma

According to Prof. Kano's definitions, a radio in an automobile should be classified as:

A
Dissatisfiers
Satisfiers
Exciters/Delighters
All of the above

According to Prof. Kano's definitions, antilock brakes in an automobile should be classified as:
B
Dissatisfiers
Satisfiers
Exciters/Delighters
Outliers

According to Prof. Kano's definitions, unexpected (and desirable) features in a product should
be classified as:
C
Dissatisfiers
Satisfiers
Exciters/Delighters
Outliers
At a fast food restaurant, food is safe to eat. This characteristic would be classified by Prof.
Kano as:
A
Dissatisfiers
Satisfiers
Exciters/Delighters
Outliers

When determining COQ (Cost of Quality), the cost to inspect and/or test the product or
service is called the .
B
Prevention Cost
Appraisal Cost
Activity Based Cost
External Failure Cost

Which of the following is true about Employee Suggestion Systems used to get the Voice of
the Employee?
D
They are useless in practice, and should never be used.
They should be used to make employees feel better, even if you have no intention of implementing their
suggestions.
They will succeed only if the CEO reads and ensures that every suggestion is implemented without fail.
They can work in a culture open to suggestions and where employees are told if a suggestion cannot be
implemented.

Which of the following is (are) true about a Black Belt in Six Sigma?
D
They are fully trained experts who perform much of the technical analyses in Six Sigma
They help mentor the green belts
They have advanced knowledge of the tools and DMAIC methods, and can apply them
All of the above

A Green Belt in Six Sigma is typically a functional employee trained in introductory methods
and works on projects on a part-time basis.
A
True
False
C
D
The stages that teams typically go through in their life cycle are called Forming, Storming,
Norming, Performing.
A
True
False
C
D

Input variables in a decision support system or model can be described as

C
environmental only
exogenous and endogenous
environmental and decision
decision only

Which is not true about historical data (information from the past)?
B
For short-term decision-making, historical data is frequently all we need.
Without historical data we cannot create a model.
Historical data are experiences that are quantified.
There is no uncertainty about the past.

Which statement is true about the modeling process for LSSG

B
Outputs are defined in the “Measure” stage of the DMAIC process
An influence diagram construction process may reveal additional inputs not previously considered.
External inputs are identified in the “Measure” stage, and decision inputs are identified in the “Define”
stage.
The “Control” step is a “nice-to-have” but not always necessary in the LSSG version of the DMAIC
process.

Which is the best example of a problem statement?

C
Shipping costs contribute 20% to the cost of the product.
The number one customer complaint is product not meeting customer criteria, resulting in large volume of
re-work each year.
Transaction errors cause $400,000 in wasted cost each year.
Budget variance is $1,450,553 annually. A significant contributor to this is raw material variability.
A characteristic whose value depends on the values of independent variables is a:
B
A Predictor Variable
B Dependent Variable
C Random Error
D Regression Analysis

One variable in your project can be described as DAYS OVERDUE (e.g., 7.2, 8.1, 9.3) or
simply OVERDUE (yes or no), which doesn’t factor in the magnitude of lateness. You decide
to use DAYS OVERDUE. Your choice can be described as:
C
a discrete variable
a prime number
a continuous variable
an integer variable

An improper calibration of the instrument will affect its:

A
Accuracy
Precision
Reproducibility
Efficiency

Which of the following concepts deals with the variance of repeated measurements?
B
Accuracy
Precision
Reproducibility
Bias

If data are ranked, intervals are constant, but a zero does not imply non-existence, data is
considered to be
A
interval
nominal
ordinal
ratio
Give an example of a discrete variable and a continuous random variable, in that order.
D
Age in years, Temperature categorized as above or below 100 degrees.
Number of defects, Number of parts produced
Weight of a part, Number of defects
True/False, Pressure

What is the difference between a discrete and a continuous measure?

B
A Discrete measures are done in secret; Continuous ones are open for all to see
B Discrete measures are countable; Continuous ones have infinite possible values
C Discrete measures are for samples; Continuous ones are for populations
D There is no difference - these are synonymous terms

You measure age as Under 30 or Over 30. What type of data scale is that?
C
ordinal
interval
nominal
ratio

Select the order of data classification types that represents increasing richness of data types.
A
A nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio
B nominal, interval, ordinal, ratio
C ratio, nominal, ordinal, interval
D ratio, ordinal, interval, nominal

A Gage R & R value of under 10% of the process variation indicates that:
C
The gage needs repair
The gage may or may not be working well, depending on several factors
The gage does not require recalibration
The operators need training
Acceptance sampling differs from Statistical Process Control (SPC) in that:
A
Acceptance Sampling is used to inspect a batch after a process; SPC checks if the process is in control
during the process.
Acceptance Sampling is used to inspect a batch during a process; SPC checks if the process is in control
after completion.
Acceptance Sampling is used to measure process capability; SPC checks if the process is in control during
the process.
Acceptance Sampling is used to inspect a batch before a process; SPC is used to inspect a batch after the
process.

The primary application of a control chart is to determine process capability.

B
True
False
CD

A process that is governed only by common cause variation

C
is out of control
should be stopped and investigated for assignable causes
is predictable within established statistical limits
is not stable

Before calculating process capability, assignable (special cause) variation should be identified
and removed if possible.
A
True
False
C
D

The control chart used to analyze attribute data is:

C
U-chart
X-bar and R chart
p-chart
C-chart
The control chart used to analyze count data with unequal samples:
B
C-chart
U-chart
p-chart
IMR chart

The Np chart plots the number of defectives while the C chart plots the number of defects.
A
True
False
C
D

A C chart is used for count data with a constant number of units inspected
A
True
False
C
D

A process is out of control when a control chart shows

D
at least 3 points are outside of the control limits
Four consecutive points are on the same side of the center line
The points are all too close to the Mean (center line of the chart)
One or more points are outside the control limits.

Despite computational difficulty, the s chart is used in place of the R chart sometimes when
A
A large sample size is available, and there is no need to use the range to estimate the standard deviation
The sample size is small, making the range meaningless
Observations are recorded indirectly
When there is a greater amount of measurement error suspected

Automated inspection allows for every item produced to be inspected in some cases. The
control chart appropriate in such cases is the
C
Np chart
X-bar and R chart
IMR chart
C-chart
We can use + or - 2 standard deviations for a control chart when the consequence of missing a
special cause is very serious.
A
True
False
C 4.657
D 5.376

When the lower control limit is calculated to be a negative number, we use zero instead.
A
True
False
C
D

A process is said to be in control when variations in the process are due only to common
causes
A
True
False
C
D

If a process is in control, it is also capable

B
True
False
C
D

Which of the following is true regarding defects and defectives?

B
A part with any defect is considered defective
A defective part is one that has one or more defects in it.
Both A and B are true.
Neither A nor B is true.

Why are histograms alone inadequate to study process capability?

C
Histograms are totally irrelevent to process capability
Histograms do not show the proportion that falls within the specification limits
Histograms do not show a time-sequenced progression of data
Histograms are limited to count data only
Assume a process has a mean of 101.00 and a variance of 3.5. The customer specification is
102 plus or minus 3. What is the Cpk and can the process be brought into compliance by
simply recentering?
B
A 0.356 and yes
B 0.356 and no
C 0.712 and yes
D 0.712 and no

shows if the process is able to meet the customers' specifications.

A
Process Capability Index
SIPOC
Natural Variation
UTL/USL

There are 3 processes, Process A with Std Dev = .40, Process B with Std Dev = .04 and
Process C with Std Dev = .80. Which process has the best capability ?
D
A Process A
B Process B
C Process C
D Insufficient information to answer the question

Control Limits are the Voice of and Specifications are the voice of
B
customer requirements, process variations
process variations, customer requirements
common cause variations, special cause variations
None of the above

Rolled Throughput Yield is another way of measuring the of a process.

B
Speed
Quality
Capability
Profitability
Traditional Yield minus the Rolled Throughput Yield equals the .
D
A First Pass Yield
B Throughput Rate
C Process Sigma
D Hidden Factory

A Correlation, or the square root of the coefficient of determination, is used to measure the
strength of relationships:
B
nonlinear
linear
linear and non-linear
non of the above

A correlation between Y and X of -0.92 means that

C
There is no relationship between the variables
There is a direct linear relationship between variables
There is an inverse linear relationships between variables
All of the above

A correlation of 1 indicates that two varibles are perfectly correlated with each other.
A
True
False
C
D

Correlation coefficients can range from

C
0 to 1
0 to 100
-1 to +1
-1 to 0

If X and Y have a strong significant correlation, then we can conclude that X causes Y.
B
True
False
C
D
Correlation is measure of a linear relationship between two variables, while Regression
analysis is a tool for building statistical models that characterize relationships between a
dependent variable and one or more independent variables.
A
True
False

Multi-collinearity exists when:

D
A the correlation between the independent and dependent variables is high
B the correlation between the independent and dependent variables is low
C the correlation between two or more independent variables is low
D the correlation between two or more independent variables is high

A regression with independent variables X1 and X2 yields a coefficient of 3.0 for X1. This can
be interpreted as:
A
Assuming X2 is constant, for a unit increase in X1, Y will increase on average by 3 units.
For a unit increase in X1, Y will increase on average by 3 units, regardless of changes in X2. C Assuming
X2 is constant, for a unit increase in X1, Y will increase by exactly 3 units everytime. D Assuming X2 is
constant, for a 3 unit increase in X1, Y will increase on average by 1 unit.

A regression line is fitted on to a set of points on a scatterplot. The vertical distance between
the line and a point is called the
D
A Correlation B Covariance C Forecast D Residual

The R-squared value in a regression varies between 0 and 1, inclusive.

A
True
False
C
D

A regression with several explanatory variables is called

B
Simple Regression
Multiple Regression
Complete Regression
Non-linear Regression
Which of the following independent variable can be assumed to be a reliable predictor with at
least 95% confidence?
B
A Variable with p-value of 0.059
B Variable with p-value of 0.001
C Variable with p-value of 0.540
D Variable with p-value of 0.070

Scatterplots are one tool that can be used for identifying outliers before doing a regression.
A
True
False

The standard error of estimate in a regression is essentially the standard deviation of the
residuals.
A
True
False

Regression analysis can be applied to both cross-sectional and time series data.
A
True
False

Which of the following is true of the regression line?

C
It is line with the highest slope
It is the line with no slope
It is the line with the least squared errors
It is the line with the sum of squared errors equal to 0.

Comparing the Standard Errors of estimate is a good way to evaluate multiple regression
models against each other
A
True
False

In Regression analysis, an R-squared value of 0.84 means that

D
There is a 0.84 correlation between Y and one of the Xs
There is a relationship between Y and the Xs 84% of the time
We have 84% confidence that a relationship exists between Y and the Xs.
84% of the variation in Y is explained by the Xs.
When we add extra explanatory variables to an equation and if these variables have no
conceptual relationship to the response variable, then the impact on R-squared is that:
C
Adjusted R-square will increase
R-square will decrease
Adjusted R-square will decrease
R-square will remain constant

Which of these statements about regression analysis is FALSE?

C
It can be applied to a wide variety of fields
It can help with root cause analysis
It does not need quantitative data
It helps predict the values of a variable of interest

What is multicollinearity?
B
Lack of correlation among any of the variables.
Strong correlation among 2 or more independent variables.
Strong correlation between a Y and an X variable.
Strong correlation between a Y and an X, and a weak correlation between 2 Xs.

The amount (in inches) by which a steel cable elongates when a weight (in pounds) is hung on
one end is given by Y (predicted) = 0.01 X, where X is the weight and Y is the elongation. The
0.01 can be interpreted as:
C
The calbe elongates a total of 0.01 inches before it breaks.
The cable elongates 1 inch for every 0.01 pounds of weight applied, on average.
The cable elongates 0.01 inches per pound of weight applied, on average.
None of the above

A simple regression equation is Y-hat = 5 + 2 X. When X = 3, Y-hat is

A
11
6
3
5
The purpose of a fishbone diagram (Ishikawa diagram) is to:
D
see the process flow
perform measurement systems analysis
discover the interactions between various causes of the effect one is studying
Identify and organize the possible causes of the issue one is studying

_ is the language that gives clarity to vague concepts.

C
Regression
Analysis
Measurement
Intelligence

Studies indicate that many customer satisfaction efforts fail because:

D
Satisfaction construct is measured poorly
Incorrect quality dimensions included in survey
Comparison to leading competitors is lacking
All of the above

Which of the following is (are) meaningful basic questions to ask before collecting data?
D
What questions are we trying to answer?
What type of data will we need to answer the questions?
Where can we find the data?
All of the above

If an outlier is caused by a one-time error in measurement, it is permissible to eliminate that

value from analysis, since it does not reflect the true nature of the data.
A
True
False

You wish to conduct a survey to estimate the proportion of customers that are satisfied with
your product. You want a 95% confidence level, and a margin of error of + or - 0.02. What
sample size do you need (assume p=0.5)? Assume Z = 1.96 for 95% confiden
A
A 2401
B 964
C 1124
D 1600
The purpose of work measurement is to:
D
for scheduling work and allocating capacity
for creating a baseline for improvement
for determining requirements for outsourcing processes
All of the above

When doing time studies of processes, normal time is computed as

D
Observed time / (1 + Performance Rating)
Observed time / Performance Rating
Observed time (1 - Performance Rating)
Observed time (1 + Performance Rating)

An acceptable measurement system should have a Gage R&R that is no more than what
percentage of total variability?
D
5
15
25
30

In Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA) the two major types of measurement error that can
occur are
D
A repeatability and accuracy
B reproducibility and accuracy
C precision and reproducibility
D precision and accuracy

Repeatability is the ability of a gage to

B
consistently give the same measurement no matter how many different operators perform that
measurement
consistently give the same measurement no matter how many times the same operator performs that
measurement
consistently give the same measurement as that obtained from another gage by the same operator
consistently give the same measurement as that obtained from another gage by a different operator
Which of the following is TRUE ?
C
A Precise but not accurate means low variation, but off-center
B Accurate but not precise means high variation, but centered
C Both A and B
D None of the above

An inaccurate measurement tool is:

B
imprecise
biased
not reproducible
not repeatable

Repeatability and Reproducibility are categories of

C
Errors of accuracy
Biases
Precision errors
Standard errors

An example of high precision in measurement is:

C
a clock not having any minute markings requiring approximate time readings
measurements that center around the correct value, but have a high degree of variation
an instrument that consistently has a very small variance from the mean value
a car's speedometer always showing the car going at 30 mph

A clock without any markings cause times to be noted approximately, creating greater
variation. Such errors are called
A
precision errors
biases
forecasting errors
environmental errors

Pareto found that:

A
A 20% of the causes are responsible for 80% of the results.
B 80% of the causes are responsible for 20% of the results.
C 60% of the causes are responsible for 20% of the results
D 20% of the causes are responsible for 60% of the results.
Pareto analysis helps with
B
Project timelines
Prioritization of Inputs and Outputs
Calculation of Correlation Coefficient
Displaying interactions among variables

If there are 480 minutes in a shift and the workers take two 30 minute breaks during this
shift, then what is the takt time if the demand is 210 units/shift?
B
2.28 min/unit
2.00 min/unit
2.14 min/unit
0.50 min/unit