Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Define Phase Concepts 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes a business case from a problem statement in a Six Sigma project charter?
- They are interchangeable sections that describe the same information in different formats
- The business case justifies the financial and strategic value of the project; the problem statement describes what is wrong and its impact (Correct answer)
- The business case defines the project scope; the problem statement defines the improvement goal
- The business case identifies the root cause; the problem statement quantifies the defect rate
Correct answer: The business case justifies the financial and strategic value of the project; the problem statement describes what is wrong and its impact
A business case explains WHY the project deserves organizational resources by linking it to strategic or financial value, while the problem statement describes WHAT is wrong, how it is measured, and its impact — without proposing causes or solutions.
Question 2: In the Define phase, a RACI matrix is primarily used to:
- Map supplier inputs through process steps to customer outputs
- Identify which defect types occur most frequently in the process
- Clarify team member roles and accountability for project activities (Correct answer)
- Translate Voice of the Customer data into measurable quality requirements
Correct answer: Clarify team member roles and accountability for project activities
RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) is a responsibility-assignment tool used in the Define phase to ensure every project task has a clear owner and that all stakeholders understand their involvement.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes a well-written problem statement in a Six Sigma project charter?
- It identifies the suspected root cause and proposes a corrective action
- It outlines the expected financial savings once the project is complete
- It quantifies the problem with baseline data, describes its impact, and avoids assigning blame or solutions (Correct answer)
- It lists all stakeholders affected and their individual concerns about the process
Correct answer: It quantifies the problem with baseline data, describes its impact, and avoids assigning blame or solutions
A strong problem statement is fact-based and measurable (e.g., 'defect rate is currently 12%'), describes business impact, and deliberately excludes root causes or solutions so the team investigates with an open mind.
Question 4: The Kano model, sometimes applied during VOC analysis in the Define phase, classifies customer requirements into three main categories. Which set correctly names them?
- Must-be, performance, and excitement (delighter) attributes (Correct answer)
- Internal, external, and regulatory requirements
- Input variables, process variables, and output variables
- Defects, defectives, and opportunities for defects
Correct answer: Must-be, performance, and excitement (delighter) attributes
The Kano model separates requirements into Must-be (basic expectations whose absence causes dissatisfaction), Performance (more is better, linearly linked to satisfaction), and Excitement/Delighter features (unexpected extras that create delight) to help teams prioritize CTQs.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of a tollgate review at the end of the Define phase?
- To statistically validate the measurement system before collecting baseline data
- To confirm that the team has clearly defined the problem, scope, and goals and is ready to proceed to Measure (Correct answer)
- To verify that implemented solutions have achieved the target improvement
- To ensure that process control plans are in place to sustain gains
Correct answer: To confirm that the team has clearly defined the problem, scope, and goals and is ready to proceed to Measure
A Define tollgate is a structured checkpoint where the project sponsor and leadership confirm that the charter, problem statement, scope, goals, and team are sound before the team invests effort in data collection during the Measure phase.
Question 6: In the Define phase, a high-level process map (often called an 'As-Is' map) is most commonly used to:
- Identify statistical correlations between input variables and defect rates
- Document all potential failure modes and their effects on the customer
- Establish the boundaries, key process steps, and handoff points of the process under study (Correct answer)
- Prioritize improvement actions based on projected return on investment
Correct answer: Establish the boundaries, key process steps, and handoff points of the process under study
The As-Is high-level process map — often a SIPOC or top-level flowchart — gives the team and stakeholders a shared understanding of the current process boundaries, major steps, and where value is transferred, forming the foundation for more detailed analysis in later phases.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Define Phase Concepts 1
What distinguishes a business case from a problem statement in a Six Sigma project charter?