CQIA Quality Fundamentals 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A company measures defects per million opportunities (DPMO). A process with a DPMO of 3.4 corresponds to which sigma level?
- 3 sigma
- 4 sigma
- 5 sigma
- 6 sigma (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 6 sigma
Six Sigma by definition targets 3.4 DPMO, representing near-perfect process performance.
Question 2: Which quality tool is most appropriate for displaying the distribution of a continuous data set?
- Pareto chart
- Control chart
- Histogram (Correct answer)
- Scatter diagram
Correct answer: Histogram
A histogram displays the frequency distribution of continuous data, revealing its shape, center, and spread.
Question 3: The concept of 'zero defects' as a quality standard was championed by:
- W. Edwards Deming
- Joseph Juran
- Philip Crosby (Correct answer)
- Walter Shewhart
Correct answer: Philip Crosby
Philip Crosby promoted zero defects as the only acceptable performance standard, arguing that quality is free.
Question 4: In a cause-and-effect diagram, the 'bones' branching off the main arrow typically represent:
- Effects of a problem
- Major categories of potential causes (Correct answer)
- Steps in a process flowchart
- Data collection points
Correct answer: Major categories of potential causes
The branches (bones) of a fishbone diagram represent major categories of potential root causes, such as the 6 Ms.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a leading indicator in quality management?
- Number of customer complaints received last quarter
- Defect rate reported in final inspection
- Percentage of employees trained on new procedures (Correct answer)
- Warranty returns processed this month
Correct answer: Percentage of employees trained on new procedures
Leading indicators measure activities that predict future quality outcomes, such as training completion rates.
Question 6: Continuous improvement that involves everyone in an organization making small, incremental improvements is called:
- Reengineering
- Kaizen (Correct answer)
- Benchmarking
- Six Sigma
Correct answer: Kaizen
Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement through small, ongoing positive changes made by everyone.
Question 7: When a process produces output that consistently meets customer requirements, the process is said to be:
- Controlled
- Efficient
- Capable (Correct answer)
- Validated
Correct answer: Capable
Process capability refers to the ability of a process to consistently produce output that meets specification limits.
CQIA Quality Fundamentals 3
A company measures defects per million opportunities (DPMO).
A process with a DPMO of 3.4 corresponds to which sigma level?