CPS Foundational Concepts & Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which principle states that a process should be designed so that its outputs consistently meet defined specifications without requiring 100% inspection?
- Zero defect principle
- Built-in quality principle (Correct answer)
- Statistical control principle
- Inspection at source principle
Correct answer: Built-in quality principle
The built-in quality principle (also called 'quality at the source') ensures processes produce conforming outputs by design rather than relying on downstream inspection.
Question 2: A process with a Cp of 1.33 and a Cpk of 0.85 indicates which condition?
- The process is both capable and centered
- The process is capable but not centered on the target (Correct answer)
- The process is centered but not capable
- Both Cp and Cpk values are unacceptable
Correct answer: The process is capable but not centered on the target
A Cp > 1.33 indicates sufficient spread capability, but Cpk < 1.00 means the process mean is shifted away from the target, reducing effective capability.
Question 3: In process thinking, the concept of 'value stream' refers to:
- The financial value generated by a process
- All activities required to deliver a product or service from concept to customer (Correct answer)
- The steps that add direct monetary value only
- The sequence of handoffs between departments
Correct answer: All activities required to deliver a product or service from concept to customer
A value stream encompasses all activities — both value-adding and non-value-adding — from raw material or concept through delivery to the customer.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes a 'process owner'?
- The executive who funds the process improvement initiative
- The person accountable for the end-to-end performance and continuous improvement of a process (Correct answer)
- The team lead who supervises the workers performing the process steps
- The quality auditor who certifies process compliance
Correct answer: The person accountable for the end-to-end performance and continuous improvement of a process
A process owner holds accountability for the entire process lifecycle, from design through measurement and improvement, regardless of departmental boundaries.
Question 5: The 'hidden factory' concept in process management refers to:
- An undocumented parallel process used during peak demand
- Unplanned rework, inspection, and correction activities not reflected in standard process documentation (Correct answer)
- A shadow IT system used outside official workflows
- The informal knowledge workers use to compensate for poor process design
Correct answer: Unplanned rework, inspection, and correction activities not reflected in standard process documentation
The hidden factory represents all the extra work — rework, sorting, re-inspection — done to fix defects, which consumes capacity but adds no customer value.
Question 6: Which statement about process boundaries is most accurate?
- Process boundaries are fixed by organizational hierarchy
- Clearly defined process boundaries establish where one process ends and another begins, reducing ambiguity in handoffs (Correct answer)
- Process boundaries should be kept fluid to allow maximum flexibility
- Boundaries are only relevant for manufacturing processes, not service processes
Correct answer: Clearly defined process boundaries establish where one process ends and another begins, reducing ambiguity in handoffs
Well-defined process boundaries clarify inputs, outputs, suppliers, and customers (SIPOC), minimizing interface ambiguity and handoff failures.
Question 7: Takt time is best described as:
- The fastest possible cycle time achievable by the process
- The rate at which products or services must be completed to meet customer demand (Correct answer)
- The total time a unit spends within a process from start to finish
- The time allocated for planned maintenance per shift
Correct answer: The rate at which products or services must be completed to meet customer demand
Takt time = Available production time ÷ Customer demand rate, setting the rhythm the process must maintain to satisfy demand without overproducing.
CPS Foundational Concepts & Principles 2
Which principle states that a process should be designed so that its outputs consistently meet defined specifications without requiring 100% inspection?