CQIA Root Cause Analysis 3

Question 1

Which of the following BEST describes a 'contributing cause' in root cause analysis?

Accepted Answer

A factor that increases the likelihood or severity of the problem without being the sole cause

Answer

A contributing cause is a factor that worsens or enables the problem but is not sufficient on its own to cause it.

Question 2

A Pareto chart reveals that 3 defect types account for 78% of all defects. What should the improvement team do?

Accepted Answer

Focus corrective actions on the 3 dominant defect types first

Answer

Focusing on the vital few defect types first yields the greatest impact, consistent with Pareto (80/20) thinking.

Question 3

In the context of RCA, what does 'escape point' refer to?

Accepted Answer

The stage in the process where the defect first became detectable but was not caught

Answer

The escape point is the earliest opportunity in the process where the defect could have been detected but was missed.

Question 4

Which statement about the 5 Whys technique is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

The number of 'whys' may vary depending on the complexity of the problem

Answer

While five iterations are common, the analyst should stop at the number that uncovers the true root cause, which may be more or fewer than five.

Question 5

A team uses an Ishikawa diagram and brainstorms potential causes. The next logical step is to:

Accepted Answer

Collect data to verify which potential causes actually contribute to the problem

Answer

After identifying potential causes, data collection and analysis are used to confirm which causes are real contributors.

(CQIA) ASQ Certified Quality Improvement Associate Practice Test