CPS Technology & Tools 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a Kaizen event, the team uses 5S methodology. Which tool would best support the 'Sort' phase?
- Red-tag system (Correct answer)
- Visual control boards
- Standard work sheets
- Kanban cards
Correct answer: Red-tag system
Red-tagging is the standard tool for the Sort phase, identifying and marking unneeded items for removal.
Question 2: A process specialist wants to track how a metric changes over time and detect trends. Which tool is most appropriate?
- Pareto chart
- Run chart (Correct answer)
- Affinity diagram
- Cause-and-effect matrix
Correct answer: Run chart
Run charts plot data points over time, making trends, shifts, and patterns visible without statistical control limits.
Question 3: In ERP systems used for process management, what does MRP stand for?
- Maximum Resource Planning
- Materials Requirements Planning (Correct answer)
- Management Resource Protocol
- Manufacturing Risk Prevention
Correct answer: Materials Requirements Planning
MRP (Materials Requirements Planning) calculates material needs based on production schedules and inventory levels within ERP systems.
Question 4: Which simulation technique allows a process analyst to model uncertainty by running thousands of scenarios with varied inputs?
- Time-motion study
- Monte Carlo simulation (Correct answer)
- Failure mode analysis
- Benchmark comparison
Correct answer: Monte Carlo simulation
Monte Carlo simulation uses random sampling across input distributions to model the probability of different process outcomes.
Question 5: A CPS practitioner is selecting software to document and automate approval workflows. Which category of tool best fits this need?
- Statistical process control software
- Business process management suite (BPMS) (Correct answer)
- Design of experiments software
- Regression analysis tool
Correct answer: Business process management suite (BPMS)
A BPMS provides modeling, execution, and monitoring capabilities specifically designed for workflow documentation and automation.
Question 6: What does 'process mining' technology do that traditional process mapping cannot?
- It creates swimlane diagrams automatically from interviews
- It discovers actual process flows from event log data in IT systems (Correct answer)
- It calculates sigma levels from defect data
- It generates fishbone diagrams from survey responses
Correct answer: It discovers actual process flows from event log data in IT systems
Process mining analyzes event logs from IT systems to discover, monitor, and improve actual (not assumed) process flows.
Question 7: Which tool would a process specialist use to prioritize which problems to tackle first based on frequency of occurrence?
- Control chart
- Pareto chart (Correct answer)
- Scatter plot
- Box plot
Correct answer: Pareto chart
Pareto charts rank problems by frequency using the 80/20 principle, helping teams focus on the most impactful issues.
CPS Technology & Tools 3
During a Kaizen event, the team uses 5S methodology.
Which tool would best support the 'Sort' phase?