CQIA Process Improvement 2

Question 1

Which tool is most useful for identifying the root cause of a recurring defect by asking 'why' repeatedly?

Accepted Answer

5 Whys

Answer

The 5 Whys technique drills down to root causes by iteratively asking why a problem occurred.

Question 2

A process improvement team wants to reduce cycle time. Which lean concept directly targets the elimination of non-value-added waiting?

Accepted Answer

Muda elimination

Answer

Muda (waste) elimination in lean targets non-value-added activities including waiting, overproduction, and excess motion.

Question 3

When mapping a process with a flowchart, a diamond shape typically represents:

Accepted Answer

A decision point

Answer

In standard flowchart notation, a diamond symbol denotes a decision point with two or more possible outcomes.

Question 4

Which DMAIC phase focuses on identifying, validating, and selecting the root cause of a problem?

Accepted Answer

Analyze

Answer

The Analyze phase uses data and tools like fishbone diagrams and 5 Whys to identify and confirm root causes.

Question 5

A team notices that 20% of their product types account for 80% of customer complaints. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The Pareto principle

Answer

The Pareto principle (80/20 rule) states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes.

(CQIA) ASQ Certified Quality Improvement Associate Practice Test