Certified Quality Process Analyst & Improvement Associate Flashcards

A process is said to be in a state of statistical control when:

Answer: Only common cause variation is present

Statistical control means the process exhibits only common cause (natural, random) variation with no special causes present.

Which DMAIC phase focuses on identifying and validating the root cause of a problem?

Answer: Analyze

The Analyze phase uses data and tools like fishbone diagrams and hypothesis testing to identify and validate root causes.

A Pareto chart is based on which principle?

Answer: Roughly 80% of problems stem from 20% of causes

The Pareto principle (80/20 rule) states that approximately 80% of effects come from 20% of causes, helping prioritize improvement efforts.

What does a process capability index (Cpk) measure?

Answer: How centered and capable a process is relative to its specification limits

Cpk accounts for both the spread and the centering of a process relative to the specification limits.

In a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram, the 'bones' typically represent:

Answer: Major categories of potential causes

The branches (bones) of an Ishikawa diagram represent major cause categories such as Man, Machine, Method, Material, Measurement, and Environment.

Which type of control chart is most appropriate for monitoring the proportion of defective items in a process?

Answer: p chart

The p chart monitors the proportion (fraction) of nonconforming units in samples of varying or constant size.

The primary goal of a process improvement team's charter is to:

Answer: Define the scope, objectives, and boundaries of the improvement project

A project charter aligns the team by clearly defining the problem statement, goals, scope, timeline, and team roles before work begins.