Quality Assurance and Improvement Flashcards

In Six Sigma, what does a process operating at 'six sigma' level mean in practice?

Answer: No more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities

Six Sigma quality means producing no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities, accounting for a 1.5-sigma process shift.

Which phase of the DMAIC framework focuses on identifying the root causes of defects?

Answer: Analyze

The Analyze phase uses statistical and graphical tools to identify root causes of the problem identified earlier.

A quality team wants to verify whether a process improvement actually reduced defect rates. Which statistical tool is most appropriate?

Answer: Hypothesis testing

Hypothesis testing determines whether observed differences in defect rates are statistically significant or due to chance.

What is the primary purpose of a SIPOC diagram in quality improvement projects?

Answer: To provide a high-level overview of a process and its stakeholders

SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) gives a broad process view at the start of an improvement project.

Which of the following is an example of an 'internal failure cost' in quality management?

Answer: Rework performed before product ships

Internal failure costs occur when defects are found and corrected before the product reaches the customer, such as rework.

A company compares its quality metrics against those of the best-performing companies in its industry. This practice is called:

Answer: Benchmarking

Benchmarking involves comparing processes, products, or metrics to industry leaders to identify improvement opportunities.

Which type of variation in a process is caused by factors that are always present and inherent to the process design?

Answer: Common cause variation

Common cause variation is the natural, inherent variability in a stable process and can only be reduced by redesigning the process.