Six Sigma Green Belt Multiple Choice Questions

If the Z USL and Z LSL are calculated as 3.24 and 3.42 respectively waht is the percentage non-conformance? A. .0913% B. .00913% C. .0781% D. .00781%

A. .0913%

Which of the following statements regarding Six Sigma team leadership is true? A. A Black Belt leads the team through the DMAIC methodology. B. A Green Belt is a full-time team lead. C. A Black Belt typically creates the project charter. D. A Green Belt leads at least four projects per year.

A. A Black Belt leads the team through the DMAIC methodology.

Affinity diagrams are useful tools to A. Analyze and group language data B. Show the relationship between the cause and effect C. Rank categories from the largest to the smallest D. None of the above

A. Analyze and group language data

The primary goals of Six Sigma are to improve: A. Effectiveness and efficiency B. Customer retention and employee retention C. Defect rate and profitability D. Knowledge transfer and cycle time E. Productivity and workmanship

A. Effectiveness and efficiency

A company's accounts payable department is trying to reduce the time between receipt and payment of invoices. If the team has just completed a flow chart of the process and identified the critical steps, which of he following tools should be used next? A. Fishbone diagram B. Scatter diagram C. Box and whisker plot D. Histogram

A. Fishbone diagram A fishbone diagram will help in the root cause analysis to identify potential factors causing the greatest overall effect on the time between actions.

A shape referred to as Platykurtic is: A. Flatter than the Normal Distribution B. Narrower than a Normal Distribution C. Same as a Normal Distribuiton D. None of the above answers

A. Flatter than the Normal Distribution

Which of the following statements is not true of the null hypothesis? A. It is your theory B. It is what you would expect by chance alone C. Assumes things to be equal D. None of the above

A. It is your theory

When working with attribute charts, which of the following values must you know in order to determine the upper and lower control limits? A. Standard deviation B. Mu C. R bar D. D2

A. Standard deviation

Rational subgrouping means that A. The data is of a homogeneous nature and it represents a particular period of time B. A great deal of thinking goes into collecting data C. Subgroups are kept small D. Subgroups are kept large

A. The data is of a homogeneous nature and it represents a particular period of time. Rational Subgrouping is the name given to the way in which data are organized into subgroups for process control charts. Usually, the subgroups should be chosen so that within subgroup variation is minimized. For example, keep in mind that for an Average and Range chart, it is the within subgroup variation that determines how sensitive the chart will be since the average R-bar is used in the calculation of the Averages chart control limit.

A cause-effect diagram is used in which of the following phases? A. The open phase B. The narrowing phase C. The close phase D. The decision phase

A. The open phase

Which one of the characteristics below does not reflect common cause variation: A. Trend B. In-Control C. Predictable D. Stable

A. Trend

When maintaining solutions, the type of control you should use is primarily determined by A. Where your process is located on the standardization/through-put matrix B. The multi-voting process C. Resources available to the Six Sigma team D. The voice of the customer

A. Where your process is located on the standardization/through-put matrix Understand process throughput Understand process standardization Understand the throughput standardization matrix to determine your method of process control Understand the basic method of interpreting and responding to statistical control charts

The control chart most commonly used for between and within subgroup variation is the: A. X Bar and R Chart B. X Bar and the Standard Deviation Chart C. X Bar and the Variance Chart D. X Bar and the Mean Chart

A. X Bar and R Chart

A battery manufacturer was considering changing suppliers for a particular part. The purchasing manager required that the average cost of the part be less than or equal to $32 in order to stay within budget. A sample of the 32 initial deliveries had a Mean of the new product upgrade price of $28 with an estimated Standard Deviation of $3. Based on the data provided, the Z value for the data assuming a Normal Distribution is? A. 0.67 B. 1.33 C. 2.67 D. 4.33

B. 1.33

A process has a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 2. What is the tolerance of the process that exhibits the limits of normal variation? A. 5 to 15 B. 4 to 16 C. 2 to 8 D. 6 to 14

B. 4 to 16

SIPOC provides a view of the process that contains approximately how many steps? A. 16-25 B. 5-7 C. 8-15 D. 25-40

B. 5 - 7

Which type of data is defined as "anything that can be classified as either/or?" A. Variable data B. Attribute data C. Distributed data D. Irrefutable data

B. Attribute data Anything that can be classified as either/or. Very binary. Pass / fail, go / no-go, good / bad. Ex. paint chips per unit, percent of defective units in a lot, audit points.

Process Decision Program Charts are used for all of the following except A. Planning specific contingencies B. Designing a set of experiments to modify a process C. Steering events in a required direction if unanticipated problems occur D. Finding many counter measures to overcome problems

B. Designing a set of experiments to modify a process

What varies more, averages or individuals? A. Averages vary more than individuals B. Individuals vary more than averages C. There is no difference between the two D. Nobody really knows; there are only theories

B. Individuals vary more than averages

Which of the following statements is true regarding Pareto charts? A. It is the process of ranking opportunities from the smallest to largest B. It is known for "separating the vital few from the useful many/trivial many" C. It is an alphabetical ranking of categories D. None of the above

B. It is known for "separating the vital few from the useful many/trivial many"

Use continuous data where possible because: A. It separates the vital few from the useful many B. It tells us the magnitude of the issue C. It is best at discerning whether or not we have a defective product or service D. It is of the "pass/fail" variety and therefore is better for failure analysis

B. It tells us the magnitude of the issue Continuous data can be subdivided / exists on a continuum and have more options to answer a question because the scale can be repeatedly broken down.

Prioritization matrices utilize a standard form of matrix in problem solving which is the: A. T-shaped matrix B. L-shaped matrix C. Y-shaped matrix D. X-shaped matrix E. C-shaped matrix

B. L-shaped matrix

The X Bar R Chart uses two control charts to monitor a process. What are they? A. Mean and Standard Deviation B. Mean and Range C. Mean and Variance D. Grand Average and Variance

B. Mean and Range

A process is in-control and stable. Describe the type of variation that exists in the process. A. Special Cause variation B. Natural Variation C. Out-the-ordinary variation D. Non-random variation

B. Natural Variation

An attribute chart can be represented by all of the following EXCEPT: A. P Chart B. R Chart C. NP Chart D. C Chart

B. R Chart

What is the only variable that determines the width of the control limits of the averages portion of the x-bar, R chart? A. D4 B. R-bar C. A2 D. None of the above

B. R-bar

Which of the following is the BEST example of a project statement? A. Improve changeover time before December 1st B. Reduce defects from Machine X by 50% before June 30. C. Reduce DPMO by 75% at Call Center 1 D. Increase net profit in Division B by the 4th qtr

B. Reduce defects from Machine X by 50% before June 30. It states a specific measurable improvement, where the improvement will take place, due date.

The Full Analytical Criteria Prioritization Matrix is derived from what process? A. Taguchi's robust design process B. Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) C. Ishikawa's 6 Ms D. Shewhart's PDCA process

B. Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) It is a simplified version of Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process.

A trend (in control charting) is typically described as A. Seven points in a row either above or below the center line B. Seven points in a row in either an upward or downward direction C. Seven points in a row that are beyond the control limits D. Seven data points in a subgroup

B. Seven points in a row in either an upward or downward direction

A process is out-of-control. Describe the type of variation that exists in the process. A. Random Variation B. Special Cause Variation C. Common Cause Variation D. Inherent Variation

B. Special Cause Variation

QFD is a planning process for products and services. It starts with: A. Competitive intelligence B. The voice of the customer C. A relationship matrix D. Quality specifications

B. The voice of the customer

A bimodal distribution means that A. There are two distributions illustrated B. There is "two of something" impacting the process C. There is a binomial condition D. There is common-cause variation that needs to be investigated

B. There is "two of something" impacting the process

How does one know if there is adequate discrimination/resolution in the measurement system by looking at a control chart? A. Simply count the number of subgroups and divide by that number B. There should be at least six possible points (including zero) under the control limit of the range portion of the control chart C. All of the points in the range chart are at zero D. All of the above

B. There should be at least six possible points (including zero) under the control limit of the range portion of the control chart

Collecting the customer needs and converting them to rquirements is referred to as: A. Voice of the Process B. Voice of the Customer C. Requirements Manipulation D. QFC

B. Voice of the Customer

A measure of the time a unit or service is idle within a process. A. Variation B. Wait Time C. Sampling D. RACI

B. Wait Time

Indicate which control chart(s) is the most sensitive for measuring time as data. A. Np chart B. X bar R Chart C. P Chart D. Individuals and Moving Range

B. X bar R Chart

A shoe manufacturing firm learned through a Lean Six Sigma project their boot soles could be made of a different material requiring two less steps in the process. Removal of these two steps yielded a monthly cost savings of $7,500. Therefore the reported financial savings for this LSS project were _____________. A. $45,000 B. $75,000 C. $90,000 D. $120,000

C. $90,000

A process you are monitoring produces 150,000 customer transactions per year. your analysis indicates the percent non-conforming is 0.2%. What is the DPMO? A. 300 B. 1,800 C. 2,000 D. 20,000

C. 2,000

A process you are monitoring over time exhibits inherent variation. What strategy should you use to mange the process? A. Take immediate action to identify root causes of the common cause variation B. Increase the specification limits to ensure the process is capable C. Continually and gradually improve the stable process D. Stop the process, identify the causes, and eliminate them

C. Continually and gradually improve the stable process

What can you say about Control Limits and Specification Limits? A. There is no difference between the terms; both are used to indicate if a process is in control B. Control Limits are set by the customers; Specification Limits are derived by the process C. Control Limits are derived by the process; Specification Limits are set by the customer D. Control Limits are typically 3 standard deviations from the mean; Specification Limits are typically 3 standard deviations from the target

C. Control Limits are derived by the process; Specification Limits are set by the customer

Which item below most naturally follows the development of a SIPOC diagram? A. A Process Map B. Voice of the Customer C. Critical-to-Quality Requirements D. Project Charter

C. Critical-to-Quality Requirements

A Belt utilized a diamond symbol in a Process Map she created for the process that was subject to her LSS project. By use of the diamond symbol she was showing a(n) _______________ point in the process. A. Ending B. Beginning C. Decision D. Repair station

C. Decision

Which of the following is the order of evolution for most teams? A. Forming, Norming, Storming, Performing B. Storming, Norming, Forming, Performing C. Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing D. Performing, Storming, Norming, Forming

C. Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing

A type of bar chart displaying the frequency of occurrence is called a _______________. A. X bar R Control Chart B. Pareto Chart C. Histogram D. Cumulative Frequency Graph

C. Histogram

Which of the following Six Sigma tools illustrates the dynamic impact of customer needs on customer satisfaction? A. Pareto chart B. Affinity diagram C. Kano model D. PERT

C. Kano model Dissatisfiers: The basic requirements. aka "must be" If these are not present, the customer is not happy. Satisfiers: Variable requirements. aka "more is better" Ex. Personal attention by staff. Delighters: Also called latent requirements (Not basic, expected, but desirable and unexpected). These features go beyond the immediate needs of the consumer.

A ____________________ is used to create a model of the affect on an output by the variation in two or more of the inputs. A. Correlation Coefficient B. Linear Regression C. Multiple Regression D. X-Y Diagram

C. Multiple Regression

The Cp and Cpk values both turn out to be 1.9. What does this indicate? A. Process is capable B. Process is capable but not centered C. Process is highly capable and centered D. Process is not capable

C. Process is highly capable and centered

In the House of Quality, the lower level/foundation is used to: A. List the actions your organization will take to satisfy your customers (known as the "how's") B. Compare your organization to the competition C. Rank the "how's" D. Make notes about customer "wants"

C. Rank the "how's". Lower level / Foundation: Benchmarking & target values used to rank the 'hows'. These are the actions your organization will take to satisfy your customers.

A trend in a run chart is defined as: A. Seven consecutive points B. Seven points in a row above or below the center line C. Seven points in a row in an upward or downward direction D. Seven points in a subgroup

C. Seven points in a row in an upward or downward direction A general rule of thumb is when seven or eight values are in succession above or below the average of the group, a shift has occurred. A basic rule of thumb is when a Run Chart exhibits seven or eight points successively up or down, then a trend is clearly present in the data.

Pre-control charting uses which of the following to determine process goodness? A. Standard deviations. B. Range values C. Specifications D. None of the above

C. Specifications

A Process is operating at 6 Simga: 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

When should you stop branching out in a CTQ tree? A. When it is no longer economical to keep branching out B. At five branches (similar to the 5 whys) C. When you get to something you can actually measure D. When you have satisfied all of the customers' needs

C. When you get to something you can actually measure

A company generates 12,000 orders per month. Each order has the possibility of 4 errors. Approxiately how many opportunities for defects are provided during the year? A. 1,000,000 B. 84,000 C. 144,000 D. 576,000

D. 576,000

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

The grand average of the subgroup averages is known as: A. X-bar bar B. X-double bar C. The grand average D. All of the above

D. All of the above

What is a disadvantage of market research as a method of gathering customer data? A. It is hard to read between the lines B. Purchasing market research can be expensive C. Data might not be timely D. All of the above

D. All of the above

Why use a matrix diagram? A. It shows relationships between issues or ideas B. It helps in prioritizing resources and processes C. It is a useful way to organize data D. All of the above

D. All of the above

Dr. Joseph Juran forwarded the concept of a quality trilogy consisting of planning, control, and improvement. He believed it was better to invest more time in planning so less time (and money) would be needed in control and improvement. This philosophy is similar to the Six Sigma concept of: A. Always listen to the customer B. Nominal is best C. Quality through inspection D. Defect prevention

D. Defect prevention

When flowcharting a process, which symbol is used to identify a decision? A. Rectangle B. Square C. Oval D. Diamond

D. Diamond

Which tool listed below helps focus teams on key drivers or outcomes to determine effective solutions? A. Tree diagram B. Matrix diagram C. Affinity diagram D. Interrelationship diagram

D. Interrelationship diagram

At the beginning of a Six Sigma project, who is responsible for identifying a high-impact, low-performing process in need of improvement? A. Project Champion B. Master Black Belt C. Quality Leader D. Management/Process management council

D. Management/Process management council

The three phases of determining project solutions are A. Observation/Interaction/Finished B. Discussion/Planning/Solved C. Open/React/Complete D. Open/Narrow/Close

D. Open/Narrow/Close

The Project Champion defines the project boundaries, indicating what work will and will not be included in the project. These boundaries are known as the: A. Problem statement B. Business case C. Project charter D. Project scope

D. Project scope

Why would you want your baseline sigma to be one, two, or three? A. Because a "one, two, or three" is the target B. Because a "one, two, or three" is the voice of the customer C. Because a "one, two, or three" is the desired value a process can achieve in terms of baseline sigma according to leading quality experts D. So the team can see improvement in the project

D. So the team can see improvement in the project You would want your baseline sigma to be 1, 2, or 3 because those are indicative of bad processes and you would like your team to be able to see an improvement in the process at the end of the project.

Which Steps should you take when you notice special causes in a control chart? A. Do nothing B. Continue taking data measurements to confirm your belief C. Stop and identify the Special Causes D. Stop, identify the special Causes and eliminate them

D. Stop, identify the special Causes and eliminate them

The peak of the bell-shaped curve represents: A. The standard deviation B. Process sigma C. The width or fatness of the shape of the distribution D. The mean or average of the distribution

D. The mean or average of the distribution

What should be done with assignable-cause variation? A. Leave the process alone B. Take more measurements to see if it really is assignable-cause C. Try to understand what will happen as a result of it. D. Try to understand the source

D. Try to understand the source

The symbol for the measurement of dispersion in a population is A. µ B. Pi C. s (or sd) D. σ

D. σ

Prioritization matrices can be used to: I. Rationally narrow down the focus of the team before detailed implementation planning can happen II. Enable selection of priority items by applying a set of criteria to each item III. Place process activities in a chronological order IV. Identify decision points in a process improvement effort

I and II

Common-cause variation is normally I. Expected II. Random III. Assignable

I and II only. Common cause variability is a source of variation caused by unknown factors that result in a steady but random distribution of output around the average of the data. Common cause variation is a measure of the process's potential, or how well the process can perform when special cause variation is removed.

Continuous data is I. Preferred over discrete data II. Not preferred. Discrete data is best to use whenever possible III. Data that exists on a continuum IV. Good/bad, pass/fail, go/no-go

I and III only

What should a well-constructed histogram reveal to you? I. Whether or not the data are normally distributed I. Customer expectations III. The spread of the distribution IV. The central tendency

I, II, III, and IV

High performance teams will probably experience which of the following? I. Forming II. Storming III. Performing IV. Re-Forming

I, II, and III only.