CPP Lean Six Sigma Fundamentals 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During the Analyze phase of DMAIC, which tool is most commonly used to identify root causes by exploring cause-and-effect relationships?
- Control plan
- Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram (Correct answer)
- SIPOC diagram
- Gantt chart
Correct answer: Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
The fishbone diagram organizes potential causes into categories (e.g., Man, Machine, Method) to systematically explore root causes of a problem.
Question 2: What does the 'C' represent in the DMAIC acronym?
- Calculate
- Control (Correct answer)
- Calibrate
- Confirm
Correct answer: Control
Control is the final phase of DMAIC, where teams implement control plans and monitoring systems to sustain the gains achieved.
Question 3: Which Lean tool is specifically designed to separate needed from unneeded items and remove the latter from the workspace?
- 5S — Seiri (Sort) (Correct answer)
- 5S — Seiton (Set in order)
- Kanban
- Heijunka
Correct answer: 5S — Seiri (Sort)
Seiri (Sort), the first S in 5S, involves identifying and removing unnecessary items from the work area to reduce clutter and improve efficiency.
Question 4: In a Six Sigma project, a Black Belt calculates that a process yields 3.4 defects per million opportunities. What sigma level does this correspond to?
- 3 sigma
- 4 sigma
- 5 sigma
- 6 sigma (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 6 sigma
Six Sigma is defined by achieving no more than 3.4 DPMO, accounting for a 1.5-sigma long-term shift from the short-term process mean.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of 'overprocessing' waste in the Lean framework?
- A machine sitting idle between jobs
- Applying a finish coat that exceeds customer specification requirements (Correct answer)
- Moving parts across long distances in the facility
- Producing more units than are currently ordered
Correct answer: Applying a finish coat that exceeds customer specification requirements
Overprocessing occurs when more work is done on a product than what the customer actually requires or values, adding cost without adding value.
Question 6: What is the role of a 'Champion' in a Six Sigma deployment?
- Perform statistical analysis for Black Belts
- Provide executive sponsorship and remove organizational barriers for projects (Correct answer)
- Lead day-to-day Kaizen events on the shop floor
- Certify Green Belts after project completion
Correct answer: Provide executive sponsorship and remove organizational barriers for projects
Champions are senior leaders who sponsor Six Sigma projects, align them with business strategy, and remove obstacles that project teams cannot resolve on their own.
Question 7: A team is using a 'spaghetti diagram' during their Lean analysis. What does this tool primarily help identify?
- Statistical variation in output quality
- Unnecessary physical movement of people or materials (Correct answer)
- Frequency of defects by category
- Timeline of project milestones
Correct answer: Unnecessary physical movement of people or materials
A spaghetti diagram traces the physical path of people or materials through a process, making excessive motion and inefficient layouts visually obvious.
CPP Lean Six Sigma Fundamentals 3
During the Analyze phase of DMAIC, which tool is most commonly used to identify root causes by exploring cause-and-effect relationships?