AP Process Improvement & Optimization Flashcards
6 cards from real AP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 AP Process Improvement & Optimization flashcards as text
What is the primary goal of a process improvement initiative in an AP context?
Answer: To eliminate waste, reduce errors, and increase operational efficiency
Process improvement aims to streamline operations by identifying and eliminating inefficiencies, errors, and redundancies.
Which methodology uses the DMAIC framework for process improvement?
Answer: Six Sigma
Six Sigma uses the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) framework to reduce defects and process variation.
In Lean methodology, what is a 'Kaizen' event?
Answer: A focused, short-duration workshop to rapidly improve a specific process
A Kaizen event is an intensive, time-boxed improvement workshop (typically 3–5 days) where a cross-functional team redesigns a specific process.
What does a 'bottleneck' represent in process optimization?
Answer: The step in a process that limits overall throughput due to capacity constraints
A bottleneck is the slowest step in a workflow, constraining the entire process's output to its own capacity.
Which tool is used to visually map the flow of materials and information in a process to identify waste?
Answer: Value stream map
A value stream map (VSM) is a Lean tool that diagrams all the steps in a process—including flow of materials and information—to reveal non-value-added activities.
The 5S methodology includes Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and ___.
Answer: Sustain
The fifth S is Sustain (Shitsuke in Japanese), which means maintaining and adhering to the established standards over time.