Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Trivia 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Lean tool uses cards or signals to authorize and control the flow of work between process steps?
- 5S
- Kanban (Correct answer)
- SMED
- Andon
Correct answer: Kanban
Kanban is a visual signaling system (originally using cards) that authorizes and controls the flow of materials or work, supporting just-in-time production.
Question 2: In process capability analysis, what does a Cpk value of 1.33 indicate?
- The process is barely capable and needs improvement
- The process is capable with a safety margin (Correct answer)
- The process is at Six Sigma quality level
- The process is centered but too variable
Correct answer: The process is capable with a safety margin
A Cpk of 1.33 means the process is capable with some safety margin (equivalent to approximately 4 sigma), which is a common minimum standard for capable processes.
Question 3: What is the 'Voice of the Customer' (VoC) in Six Sigma?
- Customer complaint logs
- The process of capturing customer requirements and expectations (Correct answer)
- A marketing tagline development method
- A telephone survey tool
Correct answer: The process of capturing customer requirements and expectations
Voice of the Customer (VoC) is a structured research process to capture customers' expectations, preferences, and aversions to drive process and product improvement.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT one of the original 7 wastes (muda) identified by Toyota?
- Transportation
- Inventory
- Defects
- Underutilization of people (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Underutilization of people
Underutilization of people (or skills) was added later as the 8th waste when Lean was adapted in the West; the original 7 Toyota wastes did not include it.
Question 5: In a control chart, what does a single data point falling outside the control limits indicate?
- Normal common cause variation
- A potential special cause that needs investigation (Correct answer)
- The process must be shut down immediately
- The specification limits have been exceeded
Correct answer: A potential special cause that needs investigation
A point outside control limits signals a potential special cause variation, which should be investigated and addressed — though it doesn't automatically mean the process must stop.
Question 6: What is the primary benefit of reducing 'batch size' in Lean manufacturing?
- Increased machine utilization
- Reduced lead time and faster feedback on quality (Correct answer)
- Lower per-unit production cost
- Simplified scheduling
Correct answer: Reduced lead time and faster feedback on quality
Smaller batch sizes reduce lead time and allow defects to be detected sooner, enabling faster feedback loops and less rework compared to large batch processing.
Question 7: Which phase of DMAIC is responsible for establishing the baseline performance of the process?
- Define
- Measure (Correct answer)
- Analyze
- Control
Correct answer: Measure
The Measure phase collects data to establish a quantitative baseline of current process performance, providing a starting point to compare against after improvements.
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Trivia 4
Which Lean tool uses cards or signals to authorize and control the flow of work between process steps?