Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Lean Concepts and Waste 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A hospital notices nurses walk long distances to retrieve supplies stored in a central location. Which type of waste does this represent?
- Overproduction
- Defects
- Motion (Correct answer)
- Waiting
Correct answer: Motion
Motion waste refers to unnecessary movement of people that does not add value to the product or service.
Question 2: In Lean thinking, which of the following best describes 'value' from the customer's perspective?
- Any activity that keeps employees busy
- A feature or service the customer is willing to pay for (Correct answer)
- All steps in the production process
- Activities that reduce company costs
Correct answer: A feature or service the customer is willing to pay for
Value is defined as any feature, function, or service that the customer is willing to pay for.
Question 3: Which of the eight wastes is specifically associated with failing to use employees' knowledge, skills, and creativity?
- Overproduction
- Non-utilized talent (Correct answer)
- Inventory
- Defects
Correct answer: Non-utilized talent
Non-utilized talent (also called unused creativity) is the eighth waste added to the original Toyota seven wastes.
Question 4: A batch of parts sits in a queue between two manufacturing steps for three days. This is an example of which waste?
- Transportation
- Waiting (Correct answer)
- Overproduction
- Motion
Correct answer: Waiting
Waiting waste occurs when work-in-process sits idle between process steps, consuming time without adding value.
Question 5: What does the Japanese term 'Mura' refer to in the Lean waste framework?
- Overburden on people or equipment
- Unevenness or variability in workflow (Correct answer)
- Any form of physical waste
- Defective output
Correct answer: Unevenness or variability in workflow
Mura means unevenness or variability in production flow, which leads to inefficiency and is one of three broader waste categories.
Question 6: A software team produces detailed documentation for features that customers rarely use. This is an example of which Lean waste?
- Defects
- Overproduction (Correct answer)
- Waiting
- Transportation
Correct answer: Overproduction
Overproduction means producing more than what is needed or producing it before it is needed, consuming resources without delivering value.
Question 7: Which Lean principle states that production should be 'pulled' by customer demand rather than 'pushed' by forecasts?
- Continuous flow
- Value stream mapping
- Pull system (Correct answer)
- Just-in-time
Correct answer: Pull system
A pull system triggers production only when there is actual customer demand, reducing overproduction and excess inventory.
