CPS Foundational Concepts & Principles 5

Question 1

When a process is described as 'in a state of statistical control,' it means:

Accepted Answer

Only common cause variation is present and the process behaves predictably

Answer

A statistically controlled process exhibits only random (common cause) variation, making future behavior predictable within a range, though it may still produce nonconformances.

Question 2

Which of the following scenarios represents a 'special cause' of variation?

Accepted Answer

A sudden spike in defect rate traced to a single miscalibrated gauge

Answer

Special (assignable) causes are specific, identifiable events — like equipment failure or a bad material lot — that are not part of the normal process system.

Question 3

A process with high effectiveness but low efficiency would most likely be characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Meeting customer requirements but consuming excessive resources or time to do so

Answer

Such a process delivers the right outcome (effective) but wastes significant resources — time, materials, labor — to achieve it (inefficient).

Question 4

The primary goal of process documentation is to:

Accepted Answer

Capture and communicate how the process works so it can be performed consistently, measured, and improved

Answer

Good process documentation enables consistent execution across people and time, provides the baseline for measurement, and supports disciplined improvement efforts.

Question 5

In a process context, 'throughput' refers to:

Accepted Answer

The rate at which a process produces conforming outputs over a given time period

Answer

Throughput is the rate of output — typically units per hour or per day — and is directly constrained by the bottleneck or system constraint in the process.

(CPS) Certified Process Specialist Practice Test

(CPS) Certified Process Specialist Practice Test

CPS Foundational Concepts & Principles 5