Six Sigma Black Belt Chapter 1

Approximately how many Six Sigma Black Belts does one Six Sigma Master Black Belt usually oversee? A. 10 B. 100 C. 20 D. 5-7

A. 10

If the company is operating at 3 Sigma in the above example what is the percent conformance? A. 99.73% B. 99.97% C. 99.997% D. 68.26%

A. 99.73%

These provide support, resources and remove roadblocks. They have more in-depth understanding of the methods, measurements, and interpretations of process measurements. They are referred to as: A. Champions B. Master Black Belts C. Steering Committee D. Process Owners

A. Champions

Which of the following is NOT a 'Goal of Change'? A. Change the goals of the organization B. Change the way people in an organization think C. Change the organization's systems or processes D. Change the norms

A. Change the goals of the organization

Which of the following is NOT a main focus or goal of a Six Sigma company? A. Decreased employees B. Cost savings C. Cycle-time reduction D. Customer requirements E. Customer satisfaction

A. Decreased employees

In which of the following steps of the DMAIC methodology are specific goals set for company achievement? A. Define B. Measure C. Analyze D. Dictate E. Analytical

A. Define

What is the relationship between sigma level, cost, cycle time, and customer satisfaction?

As the sigma level increases, cost and cycle time decreases while customer satisfaction increases.

Which of the following is NOT a concern for customers? A. How well the product is manufactured or the service is presented B. Price, Financing Terms, Style C. The profits of the company supplying the product or service D. Availability, updates and enhancements, technical support

C. The profits of the company supplying the product or service

Which of the following is NOT a primary role of the "Leader" in Six Sigma A. To create a clear vision for Six Sigma success B. To communicate his/her vision clearly, consistently, and repeatedly throughout an organization C. To train and certify all employees in Six Sigma Methodology D. Ensure that Six Sigma goals, objectives and progress, are properly aligned with those of the enterprise as a whole E. To create new positions and departments; as well as modified reward, recognition, incentive, and compensation

C. To train and certify all employees in Six Sigma Methodology

A Process is operating at Six Sigma: A. We can expect 3.2 defects per million opportunities B. It has a yield of 99.997% C. We can expect 3.4 defects per million opportunities D. It has a yield of 99.9967%

C. We can expect 3.4 defects per million opportunities

DMAIC

DEFINE the goals of the improvement activity MEASURE the existing system ANALYZE the system to identify ways to eliminate the gap between the current performance of the system or process and the desired goal IMPROVE the system CONTROL the new system

Effectiveness

Delivering what the customer requires, or exceeding the requirements; it encompasses quality, price, delivery, timeliness, and everything else that goes in to perceived value

Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of a 'change agent' within an organization? A. Keeping morale up in an organization B. Accomplishing the 3 goals of change by building 'buy-in' within the key stakeholder groups affected by the change C. Changing the way people think in an organization D. Explaining why and giving examples of how change will benefit everyone in the organization E. All of the above - There are no 'change agent' responsibilities listed F. None of the above - They are all 'change agent' responsibilities

F. None of the above - They are all 'change agent' responsibilities

Pyzdek's Law

Most of what you know is wrong.

What are the three (3) goals of change?

1. Change the way people in the organization think 2. Change the norms 3. Change the organization's systems or processes

What are Kotter's eight (8) required steps to achieve organizational transformation?

1. Establish a sense of urgency 2. Form a powerful guiding coalition 3. Create a vision 4. Communicate the vision 5. Empower others to act on the vision 6. Plan for and create short-term wins 7. Consolidate improvements and produce more change 8. Institutionalize new approaches

Order the following steps in the Scientific Method of Six Sigma 1. Conduct Experiments, Record Observations, Modify Hypothesis 2. Develop a Hypothesis 3. Make Predictions on New Hypothesis, Re-conduct Experiments, and Record Observations until there is no discrepancies between Hypothesis and Experiment Results 4. Observe your Business or Organization 5. Make Predictions

4, 2, 5, 1, 3

Quality Improvement (Juran Trilogy)

Aims to attain levels of performance that are unprecedented - levels that are significantly better than any past level.

What activities and systems are required to successfully implement Six Sigma?

1. Leadership 2. Infrastructure 3. Communication and awareness 4. Stakeholder feedback systems 5. Process feedback systems 6. Project selection 7. Project deployment

What percentage of sales does Cost of Quality (CoQ) make up?

15%

If you were a Six Sigma Deployment Leader in the organization, what will you first do? A. Develop a vision and mission for the organization and execute a Six Sigma Deployment plan in the organization B. Perform statistical analysis in the process and identify root causes C. Help process achieve its metrics by executing process improvement projects D. Identify areas of best practices and guide green belts to execute them E. Achieve goals given by the project Champion

A. Develop a vision and mission for the organization and execute a Six Sigma Deployment plan in the organization

To which company is the discovery of the Six Sigma Methodology attributed, and in what decade? A. The Motorola Company in the 1980s B. The Motorola Company in the 1990s C. GE in the 1980s D. GE in the 1990s

A. The Motorola Company in the 1980s

It is important to build 'buy-in' for a change initiative in a company and to build awareness through communication during each step of the DMAIC methodology. A. True B. False

A. True

Six Sigma is a term used to indicate that there are 6 Standard Deviations both below and above the process Mean to the upper and lower specification limits. A. True B. False

A. True

These are the project-specific, full-or part-time resources that provide process and cross-functional knowledge, as well as help to sustain the gains. A. Yellow Belt B. Champion (Sponsor) C. Master Black Belt D. Black Belt E. Green Belt

A. Yellow Belt

Six Sigma can best be defined as: A. A management methodology that uses only statistical tools to improve the customer experience. B. A customer-focused problem solving methodology that uses powerful statistical tools to reduce variation and improve processes. C. A management methodology that is primarily focused on achieving financial results. D. A customer-focused problem solving methodology used exclusively within the manufacturing sector

B. A customer-focused problem solving methodology that uses powerful statistical tools to reduce variation and improve processes.

They set very clear scope for all Six Sigma projects. They are responsible for approving any changes to the scope of the project. A. Six Sigma Deployment Leader B. Champion (Sponsor) C. Master Black Belt D. Black Belt E. Green Belt

B. Champion (Sponsor)

What are the 3 key attributes of Six Sigma that best summarize why it is a compelling methodology for reducing variation and improving processes in the mind of Senior Management? A. Data Driven, Creative, Streamlined B. Customer Focused, Data Driven, ROI Oriented C. Customer Focused, Statistical Emphasis, Conformity - Driven D. Data Driven, Methodical, ROI Oriented

B. Customer Focused, Data Driven, ROI Oriented

The key to the success of Six Sigma in your organization is to collect as much data as humanly possible. A. True B. False

B. False

You will be able reach Six Sigma quality levels with Three Sigma Suppliers, as long as you make up for supply chain waste later on in the process. A. True B. False

B. False

How is the overall yield calculated for a process with a series of steps? A. The overall yield is the sum of the yields for each steps of the process - add each individual yield B. The overall yield is the project of the yields for each step of the process - multiply each individual yield C. The overall yield is the difference of the yields for each step of the process - subtract the smallest yields from the largest

B. The overall yield is the project of the yields for each step of the process - multiply each individual yield

What is the purpose of goal of the 'Analyze' phase in the DMAIC process? A. To identify ways to decrease the waste in the improvement activity B. To identify ways to eliminate the gap between the current performance of the system or process and the desired goal C. To identify ways to increase the gap between the current performance of the system or process and the desired goal D. None of the above

B. To identify ways to eliminate the gap between the current performance of the system or process and the desired goal

What term applies to those activities, departmental and companywide, that collectively result in product or service quality? A. Process Excellence B. Quality Improvement C. Quality Function D. Quality Control E. All of the above f. None of the above

C. Quality Function

Efficiency

Being effective using a minimum of resources, more of an owner's perspective

In terms of improvement rates, what is a typical goal of an organization? A. 10 times improvement every 3 years, measured in terms of errors (or defects) per million opportunities (DPMO) B. 20 times improvement every 1 year, measured in terms of errors (or defects) per million opportunities (DPMO) C. 10 times improvement every 2 years, measured in terms of errors (or defects) per million opportunities (DPMO) D. 20 times improvement every 2 years, measured in terms of errors (or defects) per million opportunities (DPMO)

C. 10 times improvement every 2 years, measured in terms of errors (or defects) per million opportunities (DPMO)

What is the main focus of Six Sigma in an organization? A. To help an organization make more money B. To improve customer value and efficiency C. All of the above D. None of the above

C. All of the above

DMAIC stands for: A. Define, Minimize, Analyze, Increase & Control B. Decrease, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Center C. Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve & Control D. Defects, Metrics, Analysis, Incentives, Categories

C. Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve & Control

Which of the following is NOT a 'cost' of Six Sigma training? A. Office space used by training staff. B. Consulting fees. C. Holiday pay. D. Salaries for training staff. E. Classroom space and materials. F. Staff salaries.

C. Holiday pay.

They are expert statisticians and help the Black Belts in case of issues. A. Six Sigma Deployment Leader B. Champion (Sponsor) C. Master Black Belt D. Black Belt E. Green Belt

C. Master Black Belt

Arrange the Six Sigma Process improvement approach in the correct sequence: 1) Measure, 2) Define, 3) Control, 4) Improve, 5) Analyze A. 2, 5, 1, 4, 3 B. 1, 2, 5, 4, 3 C. 3, 2, 1, 5, 1 D. 2, 1, 5, 4, 3

D. 2, 1, 5, 4, 3

Approximately how many Six Sigma Projects can a Black Belt complete in one year's time? A. 10 B. 100 C. 20 D. 5-7

D. 5-7

A company using Six Sigma methodology is operating at a 99.99967% defect-free rate. What is its Sigma Level and failure rate? A. 3 Sigma, 3.4 DPMO B. 4.5 Sigma, 233 DPMO C. 5.0 Sigma, 233 DPMO D. 6 Sigma, 3.4 DPMO

D. 6 Sigma, 3.4 DPMO

Who benefits from Six Sigma Implementation within an organization? A. Customers B. Upper Management C. Company Employees D. All of the above E. None of the above

D. All of the above

He drives more than one process improvement projects within the functional area and achieves the savings and quality goals. A. Six Sigma Deployment Leader B. Champion (Sponsor) C. Master Black Belt D. Black Belt E. Green Belt

D. Black Belt

Which Role is not traditionally performed by a Green Belt? A. Data Gathering B. Analysis C. Lead Small Projects D. Coach and mentor other Six Sigma Practitioners

D. Coach and mentor other Six Sigma Practitioners

Six Sigma black belt responsibilities include all of the following, except: A. Selecting projects for execution by green belts B. Mentoring green belts C. Training organization staff in six sigma techniques and team work D. Planning the sales and marketing strategy

D. Planning the sales and marketing strategy

One of the key roles of a Champion (Sponsor) is ____________________ A. Hire team of Master Black Belt, Black Belts, among others B. Develop process maps C. Perform Statistical Analysis D. Play a pivotal role in that they own the processes of the business and, therefore, must ensure process improvements are captured and sustained E. Conduct a brainstorming session

D. Play a pivotal role in that they own the processes of the business and, therefore, must ensure process improvements are captured and sustained

How is 'quality' defined within the realm of Six Sigma? A. Conformance to internal requirements B. Level of excellence C. An attribute or property D. The value added by a productive endeavor

D. The value added by a productive endeavor

Successful Six Sigma deployment involves focusing on which of the following "high-leverage" items? A. Stakeholder Feedback B. Project Selection C. DMAIC D. Communication E. A, B, and D Only F. B, C, and D Only G. All of the above

E. A, B, and D Only

Communications training for Six Sigma leaders should include: A. Mass communication media: video, radio, and print B. Communicating with customers, investors, and suppliers. C. Communicating with employees and colleagues. D. Communicating their vision. E. All of the above F. None of the above

E. All of the above

Six Sigma is a business-driven, multi-dimensional structured approach to: A. Reducing process variability B. Increasing customer satisfaction C. Lowering Defects D. Improving Processes E. All of the above

E. All of the above

Six Sigma Champion

High-level individuals who understand Six Sigma and are committed to its success

What are some examples of hidden costs?

Intangible costs Lost Sales Late Delivery Lost Customer Loyalty Long Cycle Times Expensive Engineering Improvements

Why use Six Sigma?

It enhances the ability to deliver customer satisfaction and cost improvement results faster within months from the start and sustain rates of improvement.

What is Six Sigma?

It is a strategy to significantly improve customer satisfaction and shareholder value by reducing variability in every aspect of your business.

Six Sigma Sponsors

Owners of processes and systems that help initiate and coordinate Six Sigma improvement activities in their areas of responsibilities

Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)

Percentage of revenue spent fixing problems - includes any cost that would not be expended if quality were perfect.

What are the three categories of quality activities that comprise the Juran Trilogy?

Quality Planning Quality Control Quality Improvement

Training

Refers to instruction and practice designed to teach a person how to perform one or more tasks

Education

Refers to instruction in thinking focusing on integrating abstract concepts into one's knowledge of the world

Process Focus

Stakeholder values are determined and activities are classified as either relating to the creation of the final value (value-added activity) or not (non-value-added activity).

What are some examples of traditional quality costs?

Tangible Costs Inspection Scrap Rework Warranty Claims

Quality Planning (Juran Trilogy)

The activity of developing the products and processes required to meet customers' needs.

Actual Quality

The current value added per unit of input.

Waste

The different between potential and actual quality.

Potential Quality

The known maximum possible value added per unit of input.

Quality Management

The process of identifying and administering the activities necessary to achieve the organization's quality objectives.

Quality Control (Juran Trilogy)

The process used by operational personnel to ensure that their processes meet the product and service requirements (defined during the planning stage).

Six Sigma Breakdown

Three Sigma (historical standard) is 93.32% perfection Four Sigma (current standard) is 99.38% perfection equating to 6000 defects per million opportunities Six Sigma (future standard) is 99.9997% perfection equating to 3.4 errors per million of transactional opportunities