CQE (CQE) Fundamentals 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which quality philosophy emphasizes that quality is 'conformance to requirements' rather than goodness or elegance?
- Joseph Juran
- W. Edwards Deming
- Philip Crosby (Correct answer)
- Armand Feigenbaum
Correct answer: Philip Crosby
Philip Crosby defined quality as conformance to requirements and introduced the concept of zero defects.
Question 2: The Deming Cycle (PDCA) stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act. In the 'Check' phase, what is the primary activity?
- Implementing corrective actions
- Studying results and comparing to predictions (Correct answer)
- Standardizing the improved process
- Identifying the problem to solve
Correct answer: Studying results and comparing to predictions
The Check phase involves studying the results of the Do phase and comparing them against the planned expectations.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'quality costs' as categorized in the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) model?
- Only the costs of scrap and rework
- Prevention, appraisal, internal failure, and external failure costs (Correct answer)
- Direct labor costs associated with inspection
- Warranty claims and customer returns only
Correct answer: Prevention, appraisal, internal failure, and external failure costs
COPQ is divided into four categories: prevention, appraisal, internal failure, and external failure costs.
Question 4: A quality engineer discovers that a supplier consistently delivers products at the upper specification limit. This is BEST described as:
- A capable process with no risk
- A process with low Cpk indicating risk of defects (Correct answer)
- A process running exactly on target
- Evidence of excellent statistical control
Correct answer: A process with low Cpk indicating risk of defects
Consistently running at the spec limit indicates the process mean is shifted, resulting in a low Cpk and high defect risk.
Question 5: Which document defines the quality requirements for a product or service and serves as the primary reference for acceptance criteria?
- Quality Manual
- Process Flow Diagram
- Quality Plan (Correct answer)
- Inspection Checklist
Correct answer: Quality Plan
A Quality Plan specifies the quality practices, resources, and sequence of activities relevant to a specific product or project.
Question 6: Juran's Quality Trilogy consists of three processes. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
- Quality planning
- Quality control
- Quality improvement
- Quality assurance (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Quality assurance
Juran's Trilogy consists of quality planning, quality control, and quality improvement — not quality assurance.
Question 7: In the context of ISO 9001:2015, what does the 'risk-based thinking' requirement primarily mandate organizations to do?
- Eliminate all risks from processes
- Conduct formal risk assessments for every procedure
- Identify risks and opportunities and address them proactively (Correct answer)
- Transfer all product risks to suppliers
Correct answer: Identify risks and opportunities and address them proactively
ISO 9001:2015 requires organizations to identify risks and opportunities that could affect QMS conformity and address them proactively.
CQE (CQE) Fundamentals 2
Which quality philosophy emphasizes that quality is 'conformance to requirements' rather than goodness or elegance?