Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Lean Six Sigma Green Belt DMAIC: Define Phase Concepts 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which component of the Project Charter explicitly defines what is included and excluded from a Lean Six Sigma project?
- Business case
- Goal statement
- Project scope (Correct answer)
- Problem statement
Correct answer: Project scope
The project scope sets the boundaries of the project — what processes, products, locations, or time periods are in and out of scope. Without a clearly defined scope, teams risk scope creep and loss of focus.
Question 2: A well-written problem statement in the Define phase should include which of the following?
- The root cause of the defect and a proposed solution
- A description of what is wrong, where it occurs, and its measurable magnitude (Correct answer)
- The names of responsible team members and their roles
- A list of potential improvement actions ranked by cost
Correct answer: A description of what is wrong, where it occurs, and its measurable magnitude
A problem statement describes the current gap — what is happening, where, and to what extent — without assigning blame or proposing solutions. Jumping to solutions in the Define phase bypasses proper analysis.
Question 3: Which model used in the Define phase categorizes customer requirements into must-be, one-dimensional, and attractive (delighter) features?
- Affinity diagram
- Kano model (Correct answer)
- Pugh matrix
- FMEA
Correct answer: Kano model
The Kano model classifies VOC into three tiers: must-be requirements (basic expectations), one-dimensional requirements (more is better), and attractive features (unexpected delighters). It helps teams prioritize which CTQs drive the most customer satisfaction.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a Critical to Quality (CTQ) tree in the Define phase?
- To map the flow of materials and information from supplier to customer
- To identify and rank root causes of process variation
- To break down broad customer needs into specific, measurable performance requirements (Correct answer)
- To prioritize corrective actions by return on investment
Correct answer: To break down broad customer needs into specific, measurable performance requirements
A CTQ tree translates high-level VOC statements (e.g., 'I want fast service') into quantifiable requirements (e.g., 'order fulfilled within 2 hours'). This bridges the gap between customer language and measurable project targets.
Question 5: In the Define phase, a RACI matrix is primarily used to:
- Map process steps from raw material input to final customer output
- Prioritize customer requirements by frequency and severity
- Clarify team member roles and decision-making authority for the project (Correct answer)
- Calculate the financial baseline before improvements begin
Correct answer: Clarify team member roles and decision-making authority for the project
RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) ensures every team member and stakeholder understands their role. Defining accountability early in the Define phase prevents confusion and conflict during later DMAIC phases.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a SMART goal statement in the Define phase?
- A statement that identifies root causes and assigns blame to specific process owners
- A statement that lists all possible solutions ranked by expected cost savings
- A specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound target for process improvement (Correct answer)
- A broad aspirational statement used to align executive sponsors to the project vision
Correct answer: A specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound target for process improvement
A SMART goal statement defines the desired end state in measurable terms with a deadline (e.g., 'Reduce order processing errors from 8% to 2% by Q4'). This gives the team a clear target and a way to know when they have succeeded.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Lean Six Sigma Green Belt DMAIC: Define Phase Concepts 1
Which component of the Project Charter explicitly defines what is included and excluded from a Lean Six Sigma project?