Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Exam Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Project Identification and Selection Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which financial metric is MOST commonly used to prioritize Six Sigma projects based on the gap between current and desired performance?
- Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) (Correct answer)
- Return on Assets (ROA)
- Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT)
- Gross Profit Margin
Correct answer: Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
COPQ directly quantifies the financial impact of defects and inefficiencies, making it the primary metric for identifying high-value improvement projects.
Question 2: A Black Belt is evaluating three potential projects using a weighted selection matrix. Project A scores highest on strategic alignment but lowest on feasibility. What should the Black Belt do NEXT?
- Select Project A because strategic alignment is most important
- Conduct a more detailed feasibility analysis of Project A before deciding (Correct answer)
- Eliminate Project A and choose the next highest-scoring project
- Combine Projects A and B into a single project
Correct answer: Conduct a more detailed feasibility analysis of Project A before deciding
When a project scores high on impact but low on feasibility, the appropriate next step is to investigate the feasibility concerns further before making a final selection decision.
Question 3: During project identification, a stakeholder insists on a project scope that spans three departments and two product lines. What is the PRIMARY risk of accepting this scope?
- The project will require too many team members
- The project scope is too broad, increasing the likelihood of failure (Correct answer)
- The Champion will not support a cross-functional project
- Financial savings cannot be calculated across departments
Correct answer: The project scope is too broad, increasing the likelihood of failure
Overly broad project scope is a leading cause of Six Sigma project failure because it makes root cause analysis and solution implementation unmanageable.
Question 4: Which tool is BEST suited for translating Voice of the Customer (VOC) data into specific, measurable project requirements during the project identification phase?
- Pareto chart
- Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) tree (Correct answer)
- Control chart
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
Correct answer: Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) tree
A CTQ tree systematically breaks down broad customer needs into specific, measurable quality characteristics that can define project scope and metrics.
Question 5: A potential Six Sigma project has an estimated completion time of 14 months. What is the MOST appropriate action?
- Reject the project entirely since it exceeds typical timelines
- Break the project into smaller sub-projects that can each be completed in 4-6 months (Correct answer)
- Assign two Black Belts to reduce the timeline by half
- Proceed as planned since complex projects require longer timelines
Correct answer: Break the project into smaller sub-projects that can each be completed in 4-6 months
Six Sigma projects should typically be completed within 4-6 months, so large projects should be decomposed into manageable phases with measurable deliverables.
Question 6: When using a project selection matrix, which factor distinguishes a mandatory project from an elective one?
- The project has a clearly defined Champion
- The project addresses regulatory compliance or safety requirements (Correct answer)
- The project has a positive net present value
- The project was identified through a Pareto analysis
Correct answer: The project addresses regulatory compliance or safety requirements
Projects driven by regulatory compliance or safety requirements are mandatory regardless of their ranking in a selection matrix because non-compliance carries legal and safety consequences.
Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Exam Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Project Identification and Selection Questions and Answers 2
Which financial metric is MOST commonly used to prioritize Six Sigma projects based on the gap between current and desired performance?