CPP Process Analysis & Improvement Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which technique uses a structured diagram to identify all possible causes of a problem by grouping them into major categories such as people, process, equipment, and environment?
- Pareto chart
- Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram (Correct answer)
- Control chart
- Scatter diagram
Correct answer: Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
The fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram organizes potential causes into major categories to systematically trace the root cause of a problem.
Question 2: In process improvement, the 'voice of the customer' (VOC) is primarily used to:
- Define internal quality standards
- Identify and prioritize customer requirements (Correct answer)
- Measure process cycle time
- Train employees on new procedures
Correct answer: Identify and prioritize customer requirements
VOC captures customer needs and expectations so that process improvements are aligned with what customers actually value.
Question 3: A process map that includes both the process steps and the departments or roles responsible for each step is called a:
- Value stream map
- SIPOC diagram
- Swim lane diagram (Correct answer)
- Spaghetti diagram
Correct answer: Swim lane diagram
Swim lane diagrams display process steps within horizontal or vertical lanes assigned to specific roles or departments, showing accountability.
Question 4: Which statistical concept measures the extent to which a process consistently meets specification limits relative to its natural variation?
- Process capability (Cp/Cpk) (Correct answer)
- Mean absolute deviation
- Coefficient of variation
- Standard error of the mean
Correct answer: Process capability (Cp/Cpk)
Process capability indices (Cp, Cpk) compare the spread of process output to specification limits to determine whether the process can reliably produce conforming output.
Question 5: In a DMAIC project, during which phase would a team most likely conduct a Measurement System Analysis (MSA)?
- Define
- Measure (Correct answer)
- Analyze
- Improve
Correct answer: Measure
MSA is conducted in the Measure phase to validate that the measurement system is accurate and reliable before collecting process data.
Question 6: Which technique involves physically walking through a process to observe waste, handoffs, and inefficiencies firsthand?
- Gemba walk (Correct answer)
- Failure mode analysis
- Benchmarking
- Gap analysis
Correct answer: Gemba walk
A Gemba walk involves going to the actual workplace to directly observe the process, identify waste, and engage with workers.
Question 7: When a team creates a prioritization matrix to select among improvement alternatives, they are using which decision-making tool?
- Affinity diagram
- Tree diagram
- Criteria-based matrix (Correct answer)
- Interrelationship digraph
Correct answer: Criteria-based matrix
A criteria-based matrix (prioritization matrix) scores options against weighted criteria to objectively compare and rank alternatives.
CPP Process Analysis & Improvement Techniques 2
Which technique uses a structured diagram to identify all possible causes of a problem by grouping them into major categories such as people, process, equipment, and environment?