Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification The Define Phase 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which tool used in the Define phase directly links customer requirements to measurable process characteristics?
- CTQ tree (Correct answer)
- Pareto chart
- Scatter diagram
- Run chart
Correct answer: CTQ tree
A CTQ (Critical to Quality) tree breaks down customer needs into specific, measurable quality drivers that the process must meet.
Question 2: In Lean Six Sigma, 'process entitlement' refers to:
- The best performance a process has historically achieved (Correct answer)
- The performance guaranteed by equipment manufacturers
- The regulatory minimum acceptable performance
- The average performance over the past year
Correct answer: The best performance a process has historically achieved
Process entitlement is the best sustainable performance a process has demonstrated, representing the upper limit achievable without redesign.
Question 3: A Yellow Belt is asked to describe the 'as-is' process during Define. This means they should document:
- How the process actually works today, not how it is supposed to work (Correct answer)
- The ideal future state of the process
- Only the steps that add value
- The process as described in the procedure manual
Correct answer: How the process actually works today, not how it is supposed to work
The 'as-is' process captures reality on the shop floor, which often differs from documented procedures and reveals hidden issues.
Question 4: Which metric is most commonly used in the Define phase to quantify the financial impact of a quality problem?
- Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) (Correct answer)
- Return on Investment (ROI)
- Net Promoter Score (NPS)
- Sigma level
Correct answer: Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
COPQ captures internal and external failure costs, appraisal costs, and prevention costs to express quality problems in financial terms.
Question 5: During a SIPOC session, the team debates whether to list a step as part of the process or as a separate supplier input. The best approach is to:
- Keep SIPOC high-level (5–7 steps) and resolve details in process mapping later (Correct answer)
- Include every micro-step to be thorough
- Skip the step entirely if there is disagreement
- Move the discussion to the Analyze phase
Correct answer: Keep SIPOC high-level (5–7 steps) and resolve details in process mapping later
SIPOC is intentionally high-level; granular process details are best captured in detailed process maps during later phases.
Question 6: When collecting Voice of the Customer data, which method allows the team to observe customers in their natural environment?
- Gemba walk / ethnographic observation (Correct answer)
- Customer satisfaction survey
- Focus group session
- Comment card analysis
Correct answer: Gemba walk / ethnographic observation
Gemba walks and ethnographic observation let teams see firsthand how customers actually use a product or interact with a process, revealing unarticulated needs.
Question 7: A project's business case states it will save $200,000 annually. If the project costs $50,000 to complete, what is the simple ROI?
- 300% (Correct answer)
- 25%
- 400%
- 75%
Correct answer: 300%
Simple ROI = (Gain – Cost) / Cost × 100 = ($200,000 – $50,000) / $50,000 × 100 = 300%.
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification The Define Phase 4
Which tool used in the Define phase directly links customer requirements to measurable process characteristics?