Deck 11: Six Sigma And Process Improvement

Question 1

Bottom-up projects generally are tied to business strategy and are aligned with customer needs.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In Six Sigma,a problem is defined as a deviation between what should be happening and what actually is happening that is important enough to need correcting.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A Six Sigma project might span an entire division or be as narrow as a single production operation.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

"Low hanging fruit" refers to apparent quality problems that have existed for some time and past attempts to correct them have failed.

Question 5

A Six Sigma quality level means that the difference between the upper and lower specification limits is six standard deviations.

Question 6

Within the service sector,Six Sigma is beginning to be called "transactional Six Sigma."

Question 7

The expectations of customers that matter most to them are known as "critical to quality" issues in Six Sigma terminology.

Question 8

A change in the quality level from 3-sigma to 4-sigma represents a five-fold improvement.

Question 9

The improvement methodologies proposed by Deming,Juran,and Crosby have common themes which are shared in the Six Sigma approach.

Question 10

Idea gathering is done in the Analyze phase of DMAIC.

Question 11

Half the tolerance is equal to the distance from the target to the upper specification limit.

Question 12

Six Sigma represents a quality level of 3.4 defects per million opportunities when the process mean is held exactly on target.

Question 13

Unstructured problems require more creative approaches to solving them than structured problems.

Question 14

Lean production can easily be applied to non-manufacturing environments.

Question 15

At the outset of a Six Sigma initiative,projects chosen should have a high likelihood of success.

Question 16

The focus on optimizing CTQs for Six Sigma product and system performance by balancing cost,schedule,and quality is known as Design for Six Sigma.

Question 17

Determining the most likely causes of defects occurs during which DMAIC phase?

A)Define
B)Measure
C)Analyze
D)Improve

Question 18

One of the pitfalls experienced in organizations new to Six Sigma is the inability of senior managers to estimate what the resources,they allocate to Six Sigma projects,will "buy" in the way of bottom-line returns.

Question 19

The process of drilling down to a more specific problem statement is sometimes called "project scoping."

Question 20

The Control phase of DMAIC focuses on how to maintain improvements.

Question 21

Which phase is the idea-gathering phase of DMAIC?

A)Define
B)Analyze
C)Improve
D)Control

Question 22

A deviation between what should be happening and what is actually happening that is important enough to make someone think that the deviation ought to be corrected is known as:

A)a defect.
B)an error.
C)a problem.
D)a variance.

Question 23

At a Six Sigma quality level,if the process mean is held exactly on target,the expected result would be:

A)1.5 defects per thousand opportunities.
B)2.8 defects per ten thousand opportunities.
C)3.4 defects per million opportunities.
D)2.0 defects per billion opportunities.

Question 24

The Six-Sigma problem solving approach contains the phases of:

A)detect, measure, analyze, improve, and control.
B)define, measure, analyze, implement, and control.
C)define, monitor, analyze, improve, and confirm.
D)define, monitor, analyze, implement, and control.

Question 25

A change in quality level from 3-sigma to 4-sigma represents a:

A)1-fold improvement.
B)2-fold improvement.
C)5-fold improvement.
D)10-fold improvement.

Question 26

A k-sigma quality level satisfies the equation:

A)k = tolerance / process standard deviation
B)k * process standard deviation = tolerance / 2
C)k - process standard deviation = tolerance
D)process standard deviation = tolerance / k

Question 27

Focusing on how to maintain improvements occurs in which DMAIC phase?

A)Measure
B)Analyze
C)Improve
D)Control

Question 28

A bank's savings account statements contain 24 items of account information.Last month,2500 bank statements were checked and 52 errors were found in the account items.What is the dpmo value?

A)0.021
B)867
C)0.46
D)1154

Question 29

A level of 3.4 defects per million opportunities can be achieved in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

A)with 0.0-sigma off-centering and 4.5-sigma quality.
B)with 0.5-sigma off-centering and 5.0-sigma quality.
C)with 1.0-sigma off-centering and 5.5-sigma quality.
D)with 1.5-sigma off-centering and 6.0-sigma quality.

Question 30

The "5 Why" technique is useful in identifying:

A)important symptoms of a problem.
B)the importance of a problem.
C)a suitable solution to a problem.
D)the root cause of a problem.

Question 31

A grocery store finds that a patron typically purchases 20 items per visit.In one day,the grocer found that the checkout scanners made 240 price-reading errors in servicing 11,000 patrons.The dpmo is _____.

A)0.022
B)45.83
C)1091
D)1818

Question 32

An achievement which takes an organization to a level of performance not previously attained is called a:

A)breakthrough.
B)benchmark.
C)poka-yoke.
D)special cause.

Question 33

Which of the following constitutes an operational definition of a service quality measure?

A)Highly professional service
B)Few late deliveries
C)Phone calls answered within two rings
D)Very accurate customer billing

Question 34

Accomplishment of any improvement that takes an organization to unprecedented levels of performance is known as:

A)kaizen.
B)a breakthrough.
C)a real solution.
D)a leap forward.

Question 35

The distance from the target to the upper specification limit is equal to:

A)the tolerance.
B)twice the tolerance.
C)half the tolerance.
D)three times the tolerance.

Question 36

Six Sigma represents a quality level of at most:

A)1.5 defects per million opportunities.
B)2.0 defects per million opportunities.
C)3.4 defects per million opportunities.
D)4.5 defects per million opportunities.

Question 37

A delivery process has a target of 5 hours plus or minus one hour.The process standard deviation is estimated as 0.25 hours.The process has a _____ sigma quality level.

A)1.25
B)2
C)4
D)8

Question 38

The operative measure of quality in Six Sigma terminology is:

A)defects per unit.
B)defects per thousand units.
C)defects per ten thousand opportunities.
D)defects per million opportunities.

Question 39

Identifying CTQs can be an important step in evaluating and prioritizing potential Six Sigma projects."CTQ" denotes:

A)continuous-total-quality initiative.
B)critical-to-quality characteristic.
C)customer-to-quote feedback.
D)certain-to-qualify idea.

Question 40

At a Six Sigma quality level,3.4 defects per million opportunities are expected to occur with a mean shift of _____ standard deviations of the target.

A)0.5
B)1.0
C)1.5
D)2.0

Question 41

Lean production refers to approaches that originated at:

A)Ford.
B)Xerox.
C)Motorola.
D)Toyota.

Question 42

In a service context,lean production is referred to as:

A)lean operation.
B)lean enterprise.
C)lean process.
D)lean service.

Question 43

_____ show the performance and the variation of a process or some quality or productivity indicator over time in a graphical fashion that is easy to understand and interpret.

A)Histograms
B)Flowcharts
C)Run charts
D)Scatter diagrams

Question 44

_____ is defined as "that condition (or interrelated set of conditions)having allowed or caused a defect to occur,which once corrected properly,permanently prevents recurrence of the defect in the same,or subsequent,product or service generated by the process."

A)Design error
B)Defect
C)Problem
D)Root cause

Question 45

A _____ is a line graph in which data are plotted over time.

A)pareto diagram
B)run chart
C)flowchart
D)control chart

Question 46

The sequence of activities or the flow of materials and information in a process are identified in:

A)a process map.
B)a histogram.
C)a project charter.
D)the Deming cycle.

Question 47

_____ projects typically address small problems within a department or work function.

A)Green belt
B)Black belt
C)Master black belt
D)Champion

Question 48

Cause and effect diagrams are used at the _____ stage in DMAIC.

A)define
B)measure
C)analyze
D)control

Question 49

Terms such as "kanban","single minute exchange of dies",and "visual controls" are most closely associated with:

A)lean production.
B)DMAIC methodology.
C)Six Sigma projects.
D)re-engineering efforts.

Question 50

_____ are special types of data collection forms in which the results may be interpreted on the form directly without additional processing.

A)Control charts
B)Check sheets
C)Statistical process controls
D)Worksheets

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT a tool used in the Define stage of DMAIC?

A)Check sheets
B)Cost of quality analysis
C)Pareto analysis
D)High level process mapping

Question 52

The process of drilling down to a more specific problem statement is sometimes called:

A)project mapping.
B)project scoping.
C)project planning.
D)project definition.

Question 53

_____ problems are defined by unsatisfactory performance by a well-specified system.

A)Conformance
B)Efficiency
C)Process design
D)Unstructured performance

Question 54

Standard operating procedures are used at the _____ stage in DMAIC

A)define
B)measure
C)improve
D)control

Question 55

Efficiency problems:

A)involve designing new processes or substantially revising existing processes.
B)result from unsatisfactory performance by a poorly specified system.
C)involve designing new products that better satisfy user needs.
D)result from unsatisfactory performance from the standpoint of stakeholders other than customers.

Question 56

The commonly used quality tools in the Six Sigma toolbox are referred to by the Japanese as the:

A)Deming tools.
B)Seven QC tools.
C)DMAIC tools.
D)Sigma tools.

Question 57

Factors that should be considered when selecting Six Sigma projects include the following EXCEPT:

A)financial return.
B)impacts on customers and organizational effectiveness.
C)fit to existing government legislation(s)on quality.
D)probability of success.

Question 58

The _____ phase requires an understanding of the causal relationships between process performance and customer value.

A)define
B)measure
C)analyze
D)improve

Question 59

Places where defective product is sent to be revised,corrected,reworked,or scrapped are referred to as:

A)correction corners.
B)hidden factories.
C)sweat shops.
D)repair rooms.

Question 60

In Six Sigma terminology,the expectations of customers that matter most to them are known as:

A)CTQs.
B)MBBs.
C)DFSs.
D)DPUs.

Question 61

Explain each phase of the DMAIC methodology.

Question 62

Explain what is meant by "Six Sigma quality" with respect to defect expectations.Draw a picture that relates Six Sigma quality to the notions of design tolerance and process variability.

Question 63

Some have argued the Six Sigma programs are merely repackaged versions of older quality improvement programs that originally accompanied TQM initiatives in the 1980s.Present arguments that both support and refute this view.

Question 64

Which of the following is NOT a tool used in lean production?

A)The 5S's
B)Visual controls
C)Efficient layout and standardized work
D)Push production.

Question 65

_____ focuses on the elimination of waste in all forms,including defects requiring rework,unnecessary processing steps,unnecessary movement of materials or people,waiting time,excess inventory,and overproduction.

A)Lean approach
B)Six Sigma
C)Deming Quality Circles
D)Kaizen

Question 66

Describe the categories of problems that have been found to be approached by Six Sigma methodology.

Question 67

Specifications for the density of dustless chalk used in classrooms is 3.5 ± 1.5. (The unit of measure is grams per centimeter²,or g/cm².)A random sample of 100 pieces of chalk was selected and the density of each piece in the sample was recorded.The sample average was equal to 3.6 and the sample standard deviation was equal to 0.75.A histogram of the sample data is given below.

a.How many pieces of chalk in the sample are considered defective (not within the specifications)?
b.Using your response to the above question,what is the dpmo value for this process?
c.According to the concepts of Six-Sigma Quality,what the quality level for this process? (Use the appropriate table provided in the textbook.)

Question 68

Lean approaches focus on:

A)innovation in product designs.
B)the elimination of waste in all forms.
C)employee involvement in process designing.
D)eliminating value-added activities in the process.

Question 69

Explain the concept of lean production.Describe its relation to Six Sigma.

Question 70

Some people assert that Six Sigma quality levels represent overkill in most industry situations.Counter this assertion with industry examples where less than six sigma quality would significantly impact industry performance and perhaps social welfare at large.

Question 71

The number of defects found in 20 samples of 100 Frost Ice-cream Company flavors taken on a daily basis from a production line over a five-week period is given below.Plot these data on a run chart,computing the average value (center line),and the upper control limit.Do you suspect that any special causes are present? Why?

Question 72

_____ is used to interpret scatter diagrams.

A)Process mapping
B)Benchmarking
C)Statistical correlation analysis
D)Cause and effect analysis

Question 73

_____ refers to rapid changeover of tooling and fixtures in machine shops so that multiple products in smaller batches can be run on the same equipment.

A)Single minute exchange of dies
B)Total productive maintenance
C)Pull production
D)Efficient layout and standardized work

Question 74

_____ provide clues about the characteristics of the parent population from which a sample is taken.

A)Histograms
B)Pareto analyses
C)Scatter diagrams
D)Check sheets

Question 75

Explain why,in the initial stages of Six Sigma implementation in a firm,it is advantageous to choose project that have a high likelihood of success.

Question 76

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a Six Sigma project?

A)A problem to be solved.
B)A process in which the problem exists.
C)A customer-panel to assess incremental improvements at different stages of the implementation.
D)One or more measures that quantify the gap to be closed and can be used to monitor progress.

Question 77

A _____ is a _____ of the data from the largest frequency to the smallest.

A)histogram; scatter diagram
B)pareto diagram ; histogram
C)scatter diagram; break-down chart
D)check sheet; chronological chart

Question 78

Analysis of customer complaints at Flash Apparel Company revealed errors in five categories.Data is provided below.Construct a Pareto diagram for these data.What conclusions can you reach?