CQIA Root Cause Analysis 2

Question 1

In a fishbone diagram, which category of causes is MOST likely to include calibration errors in measurement equipment?

Accepted Answer

Measurement

Answer

Calibration errors belong in the Measurement category of a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram.

Question 2

Which technique involves repeatedly asking 'Why?' until the fundamental cause of a problem is uncovered?

Accepted Answer

5 Whys

Answer

The 5 Whys technique drills down through symptom layers by repeatedly asking 'Why?' to reach the root cause.

Question 3

A team notices that defects spike every Monday morning. Which root cause category should they investigate first?

Accepted Answer

Environment or People

Answer

A Monday morning pattern often points to shift-change, startup procedures, or staffing issues — Environment or People causes.

Question 4

What is the PRIMARY purpose of verifying a root cause before implementing corrective action?

Accepted Answer

To ensure the fix addresses the actual cause rather than a symptom

Answer

Verification ensures that corrective actions target the true root cause, preventing recurrence rather than just masking symptoms.

Question 5

A scatter diagram shows a strong positive correlation between oven temperature and product hardness. What can the team conclude?

Accepted Answer

There is a relationship worth investigating further

Answer

Correlation indicates a relationship but does not prove causation; further investigation is needed to establish cause and effect.

(CQIA) ASQ Certified Quality Improvement Associate Practice Test