Lean Management Certification (LMC) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: An A3 report is best described as a tool for:

Structuring problem-solving and communicating root cause analysis on a single page (Correct answer)
Scheduling maintenance tasks across multiple shifts
Documenting standard work procedures for new employees
Tracking daily production output on a factory floor

Correct answer: Structuring problem-solving and communicating root cause analysis on a single page

The A3 is a concise, structured format that guides problem-solving and communicates the full PDCA cycle on one page, facilitating stakeholder dialogue.

Question 2: A lean value stream map reveals that a company ships products internationally. Which US export control framework must be reviewed before sharing lean process documentation with foreign employees or partners?

Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and ITAR (Correct answer)
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

Correct answer: Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and ITAR

The EAR (Bureau of Industry and Security) and ITAR (State Department) control the export of technical data and processes; sharing manufacturing documentation with foreign nationals may require a license.

Question 3: A lean leader wants to understand current conditions before launching an improvement project. The principle of 'genchi genbutsu' advises them to:

Convene a cross-functional team meeting to brainstorm issues
Go to the actual place where work occurs and observe the process directly (Correct answer)
Benchmark competitors' published performance metrics
Review historical data reports from the ERP system

Correct answer: Go to the actual place where work occurs and observe the process directly

Genchi genbutsu ('go and see') directs leaders to observe real conditions at the gemba (actual workplace) rather than relying on second-hand data or reports.

Question 4: How does continuing education relate to performance metrics & kpi analysis for LMC certified professionals?

It is only needed when changing employers
It is required only for entry-level practitioners
It is optional and rarely impacts practice quality
It ensures professionals stay current with evolving standards and best practices (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It ensures professionals stay current with evolving standards and best practices

Continuing education ensures LMC professionals stay current with evolving standards, technologies, and best practices in performance metrics & kpi analysis, maintaining competency throughout their careers.

Question 5: Which lean principle most directly drives the practice of maintaining minimal but sufficient documentation?

Pull
Flow
Respect for people
Eliminate waste (muda) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Eliminate waste (muda)

Excess documentation is a form of waste; lean documentation aims to include only information that adds value to process execution or compliance.

Question 6: What does OSHA's General Duty Clause require of employers?

To conduct monthly fire drills for all staff
To achieve zero accidents within five years
To implement ISO 45001 certification
To provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards

OSHA's General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a place of employment free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

Question 7: A Lean team wants to reduce variation in a welding process. Which tool would help them understand how input variables relate to output quality?

Value stream map
5S audit checklist
Kanban board
Cause-and-effect (Ishikawa) diagram (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cause-and-effect (Ishikawa) diagram

An Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram maps potential causes across categories like materials, methods, and machines to identify sources of output variation.

Question 8: In lean construction projects receiving federal funding, which regulation mandates prevailing wage rates that cannot be reduced through labor efficiency improvements?

The Buy American Act
Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act
Davis-Bacon Act (Correct answer)
Service Contract Act

Correct answer: Davis-Bacon Act

The Davis-Bacon Act requires payment of locally prevailing wages on federal construction contracts regardless of lean-driven productivity gains or labor cost reductions.

Question 9: When lean practitioners implement standard work that affects job duties for unionized workers, which federal law governs the employer's obligation to bargain before implementing changes?

The Labor-Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley Act)
Railway Labor Act
The Norris-LaGuardia Act
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) Section 8(a)(5) duty to bargain (Correct answer)

Correct answer: National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) Section 8(a)(5) duty to bargain

NLRA Section 8(a)(5) requires employers to bargain in good faith with unions over mandatory subjects including wages, hours, and working conditions before implementing standard work changes.

Question 10: Which statistical tool is used in lean to determine if the variation in a process output is due to common cause or special cause?

Histogram
Control chart (SPC) (Correct answer)
Scatter plot
Pareto chart

Correct answer: Control chart (SPC)

Control charts distinguish between natural common-cause variation and assignable special-cause variation using control limits.

Question 11: What is 'value' in the context of Lean?

Supplier negotiation power
Internal process improvement
Profit margin increase
Customer-defined benefit (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Customer-defined benefit

In the context of Lean, 'value' is fundamentally defined by what the customer is willing to pay for. It represents the specific benefit or feature that meets a customer's need or solves their problem. Any activity or output that does not directly contribute to this customer-perceived benefit is considered waste and targeted for elimination.

Question 12: In lean, a 'red bin' or 'red tag' system is used during which assessment activity?

Identifying unnecessary items during 5S Sort phase (Correct answer)
Flagging defective parts at the poka-yoke gate
Marking hazardous materials in the safety audit
Tagging equipment awaiting preventive maintenance

Correct answer: Identifying unnecessary items during 5S Sort phase

Red tags are applied to unneeded items during the Sort (Seiri) phase to quarantine them for disposition decisions.

Question 13: A lean value stream map reveals that a key stakeholder's department is creating a major bottleneck. How should this be communicated?

Present the VSM findings to the department stakeholder privately first, framing the bottleneck as a shared opportunity for improvement (Correct answer)
Omit the bottleneck from the VSM to avoid embarrassing the department
Send the VSM directly to the executive team to apply pressure on the department
Post the VSM publicly to motivate the bottleneck department

Correct answer: Present the VSM findings to the department stakeholder privately first, framing the bottleneck as a shared opportunity for improvement

Private, respectful disclosure preserves the relationship and frames the bottleneck as an improvement opportunity, increasing the stakeholder's willingness to engage.

Question 14: The 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' (PDCA) cycle in Lean is primarily used for:

Annual strategic planning and budget allocation
Scheduling preventive maintenance on production equipment
Structured problem-solving and continuous improvement of processes (Correct answer)
Onboarding new employees into standardized work procedures

Correct answer: Structured problem-solving and continuous improvement of processes

PDCA provides a scientific, iterative approach to testing changes and embedding improvements into standard processes.

Question 15: What is the risk of NOT versioning electronic lean documents stored in a shared drive?

Documents load more slowly
Multiple outdated versions may coexist, causing operators to follow obsolete procedures (Correct answer)
The file size increases unnecessarily
Audit trails become too long

Correct answer: Multiple outdated versions may coexist, causing operators to follow obsolete procedures

Without version control, outdated files can be mistaken for current instructions, leading to non-standard work and quality failures.

Question 16: A Lean team uses a scatter diagram to analyze the relationship between oven temperature and product defect rate. A strong positive correlation would indicate:

As temperature increases, defect rate increases proportionally (Correct answer)
Temperature has no impact on defect rate
The relationship is nonlinear and unpredictable
Lower temperature always causes higher defects

Correct answer: As temperature increases, defect rate increases proportionally

A strong positive correlation on a scatter diagram means that as one variable increases, the other increases as well, suggesting a cause-effect relationship to investigate.

Question 17: A Lean team notices their cycle time is consistently shorter than takt time. What does this indicate?

Inventory levels are critically low
Defects are being produced too quickly
The process is a bottleneck
The process has excess capacity relative to customer demand (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The process has excess capacity relative to customer demand

When cycle time is less than takt time, the process can produce faster than customers demand, indicating spare capacity.

Question 18: A control chart shows several data points alternating consistently above and below the centerline. This pattern is most likely caused by:

Operator rotation between two differently calibrated machines (Correct answer)
Natural process variation
Random sampling error
A sudden machine breakdown

Correct answer: Operator rotation between two differently calibrated machines

A consistent alternating pattern on a control chart often signals systematic differences between two sources, such as operators or machines.

Question 19: A value stream map shows a process step with a large 'push' arrow. What does this indicate?

Inventory is being pushed downstream regardless of demand (Correct answer)
The step is customer-facing
The step is automated
Value is being added efficiently

Correct answer: Inventory is being pushed downstream regardless of demand

A push arrow in a VSM indicates that material or information is being forced downstream without a pull signal, which can create excess inventory and waste.

Question 20: Which of the following is the MOST important input when prioritizing improvement opportunities identified during a lean assessment?

Manager's personal preference for certain tools
Number of employees affected by the change
Availability of consulting support
Impact on customer value versus effort to implement (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Impact on customer value versus effort to implement

Lean prioritization should weigh customer value impact against implementation effort to maximize return on improvement energy.

Question 21: In a Lean metrics hierarchy, what does 'Safety → Quality → Delivery → Cost' as a priority order signify?

Delivery metrics are more important than quality
Safety metrics are only tracked during audits
Cost reduction is the last priority and should be ignored
Improvements should not sacrifice safety or quality in pursuit of faster delivery or lower cost (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Improvements should not sacrifice safety or quality in pursuit of faster delivery or lower cost

This sequence reflects the Lean belief that fixing quality and delivery naturally drives cost reduction without compromising safety.

Question 22: What is a common challenge professionals face when applying conflict resolution & mediation principles in Lean Management Certification?

Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application (Correct answer)
Lack of any professional development opportunities
Excessive simplicity of industry regulations
Having too much support from colleagues

Correct answer: Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application

Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application is a well-recognized challenge, as real-world scenarios often present complexities not covered in standard training.

Question 23: What documentation practice is considered essential in Quality Assurance & Improvement within the Lean Management field?

Recording actions, observations, and outcomes in real-time or as close to the event as possible (Correct answer)
Completing all documentation at the end of the workday
Only documenting unusual events or complications
Using shorthand notes that can be expanded later if needed

Correct answer: Recording actions, observations, and outcomes in real-time or as close to the event as possible

Real-time or near-real-time documentation in Quality Assurance & Improvement ensures accuracy, provides a contemporaneous record, and is considered the gold standard for professional accountability and legal defensibility.

Question 24: When implementing performance metrics & kpi analysis practices, what should a LMC professional prioritize first?

Cost reduction at all levels
Compliance with established standards and protocols (Correct answer)
Personal convenience and efficiency
Speed of completion over thoroughness

Correct answer: Compliance with established standards and protocols

Compliance with established standards and protocols must be the first priority, as it ensures safety, quality, and legal adherence in professional practice.

Question 25: Which of the following best describes a key competency required for strategic planning & goal setting in LMC certification?

Critical thinking and evidence-based decision making (Correct answer)
Delegation of all complex tasks to supervisors
Memorization of all relevant regulations verbatim
Ability to work independently without any oversight

Correct answer: Critical thinking and evidence-based decision making

Critical thinking and evidence-based decision making is essential for strategic planning & goal setting, as professionals must analyze situations and apply knowledge appropriately.

Question 26: Which Lean metric is most useful for measuring the responsiveness of a supply chain to customer orders?

Scrap rate
OEE
Order-to-delivery lead time (Correct answer)
Takt time

Correct answer: Order-to-delivery lead time

Order-to-delivery lead time measures the total elapsed time from customer order receipt to product delivery, capturing supply chain responsiveness.

Question 27: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'jidoka' in lean manufacturing?

Producing only what is needed, when needed, in the quantity needed
Empowering workers or machines to stop and signal when an abnormality is detected (Correct answer)
Leveling production volume and mix over time
Eliminating all non-value-added steps from a process

Correct answer: Empowering workers or machines to stop and signal when an abnormality is detected

Jidoka (autonomation) gives machines and workers the authority to stop production when a defect is found, preventing defects from being passed downstream.

Question 28: In Assessment & Evaluation Methods, what is the FIRST step a LMC professional should take when encountering a new case or situation?

Consult with a supervisor before taking any action
Document the situation and wait for further instructions
Implement an immediate solution based on past experience
Conduct a comprehensive assessment and gather all relevant information (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Conduct a comprehensive assessment and gather all relevant information

In Assessment & Evaluation Methods, a thorough initial assessment ensures all relevant factors are identified before deciding on an appropriate course of action. This systematic approach is fundamental to Lean Management practice.

Question 29: A team's daily management system shows 'green' on cost but 'red' on quality. According to Lean priority hierarchy, what should happen?

Both should be addressed simultaneously with equal urgency
Quality issues should be addressed first, even if it temporarily impacts cost (Correct answer)
Cost performance should be maintained since it is already green
The quality red status should be escalated only after the next audit

Correct answer: Quality issues should be addressed first, even if it temporarily impacts cost

Lean prioritizes Safety → Quality → Delivery → Cost; a quality problem must be resolved before optimizing cost.

Question 30: Which of the following best describes 'First Pass Yield' (FPY)?

Returns received from customers
Products produced after testing
Units passing without rework (Correct answer)
Items shipped on time

Correct answer: Units passing without rework

First Pass Yield (FPY) is a quality metric that measures the percentage of units that successfully pass through a process step or the entire process without requiring any rework, repair, or scrap. A high FPY indicates a robust and efficient process with minimal defects, directly contributing to reduced waste and improved quality in Lean. It highlights the effectiveness of the process in producing good output from the first attempt.

Question 31: Which statement best describes the relationship between standardized work and quality improvement in Lean?

Standardized work restricts quality improvement by limiting operator initiative
Standardized work is only relevant to productivity, not quality
Standardized work eliminates the need for control charts
Standardized work establishes the current best method, providing a stable baseline for improvement (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Standardized work establishes the current best method, providing a stable baseline for improvement

Standardized work defines the best known method, ensuring consistency and providing a baseline from which improvements can be measured.

Question 32: Standard work is best described as:

The documented current best method that forms the baseline for improvement (Correct answer)
The method with the lowest defect rate historically
The method approved by senior management
The fastest known method for completing a task

Correct answer: The documented current best method that forms the baseline for improvement

Standard work captures the current best-known method and creates a stable baseline from which continuous improvement can be measured.

Question 33: What is a common challenge professionals face when applying performance metrics & kpi analysis principles in Lean Management Certification?

Lack of any professional development opportunities
Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application (Correct answer)
Having too much support from colleagues
Excessive simplicity of industry regulations

Correct answer: Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application

Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application is a well-recognized challenge, as real-world scenarios often present complexities not covered in standard training.

Question 34: Which metric best evaluates the efficiency of a lean process by comparing value-added time to total lead time?

Process cycle efficiency (PCE) (Correct answer)
Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
Net promoter score (NPS)
First-pass yield (FPY)

Correct answer: Process cycle efficiency (PCE)

PCE = value-added time ÷ total lead time, directly measuring how much of the total time actually adds value.

Question 35: When applying lean thinking to document management, 'point-of-use' documentation means:

Storing all documents in a central server only
Printing documents in large font for visibility
Emailing documents to all employees
Placing the correct work instruction or visual aid at the exact workstation where the task is performed (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Placing the correct work instruction or visual aid at the exact workstation where the task is performed

Point-of-use documentation eliminates the waste of searching by making the right information immediately accessible where work is done.

Question 36: A lean practitioner wants to reduce changeover time from 3 hours to under 10 minutes. The BEST framework to apply is:

5S workplace organization
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) (Correct answer)
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

Correct answer: Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)

SMED systematically converts internal setup steps to external ones and streamlines remaining internal steps to dramatically cut changeover time.

Question 37: A lean practitioner discovers that two departments have conflicting improvement priorities. What should be done first?

Escalate to the CEO for a final decision
Prioritize the department with higher revenue impact
Facilitate a joint session to map interdependencies and align priorities to customer value (Correct answer)
Let both departments proceed independently and reconcile later

Correct answer: Facilitate a joint session to map interdependencies and align priorities to customer value

Facilitating a joint session surfaces interdependencies and aligns competing priorities around the shared goal of delivering customer value.

Question 38: Which technique is MOST effective for evaluating whether a lean improvement has achieved its intended outcome?

Reviewing the project charter written before implementation
Comparing the improvement to a competitor's benchmark
Pre- and post-implementation measurement of the same KPIs (Correct answer)
Surveying team members about their satisfaction with the change

Correct answer: Pre- and post-implementation measurement of the same KPIs

Measuring the same KPIs before and after provides objective evidence of whether the improvement delivered the expected results.

Question 39: What ethical consideration is most relevant to strategic planning & goal setting in LMC practice?

Following only those rules that are convenient
Prioritizing personal advancement over professional duties
Avoiding all professional development activities
Maintaining confidentiality and acting in the best interest of stakeholders (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Maintaining confidentiality and acting in the best interest of stakeholders

Maintaining confidentiality and acting in the best interest of stakeholders is the cornerstone ethical consideration for strategic planning & goal setting in professional practice.

Question 40: Which of the following best describes a key competency required for stakeholder communication & reporting in LMC certification?

Critical thinking and evidence-based decision making (Correct answer)
Memorization of all relevant regulations verbatim
Ability to work independently without any oversight
Delegation of all complex tasks to supervisors

Correct answer: Critical thinking and evidence-based decision making

Critical thinking and evidence-based decision making is essential for stakeholder communication & reporting, as professionals must analyze situations and apply knowledge appropriately.

Question 41: During a gemba walk, a lean practitioner should primarily focus on:

Benchmarking competitor processes online
Observing actual work conditions and talking to frontline workers (Correct answer)
Auditing financial statements for waste costs
Reviewing reports and KPI dashboards at the manager's desk

Correct answer: Observing actual work conditions and talking to frontline workers

Gemba walks emphasize going to the actual place of work to observe real conditions and engage workers directly.

Question 42: Which technology trend is most likely to impact stakeholder communication & reporting in the LMC field in coming years?

Digital tools for enhanced data collection, analysis, and reporting (Correct answer)
Reduction in the need for professional certification
Complete elimination of human professionals
Return to exclusively paper-based systems

Correct answer: Digital tools for enhanced data collection, analysis, and reporting

Digital tools for enhanced data collection, analysis, and reporting represent the most significant and practical technology trend impacting stakeholder communication & reporting, augmenting rather than replacing professional expertise.

Question 43: How does risk management apply to daily practice in Regulatory Compliance & Legal Framework for Lean Management professionals?

Only through responding to incidents after they occur
By avoiding high-risk situations entirely
Through annual safety audits exclusively
Through proactive identification of potential hazards and implementation of preventive measures (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Through proactive identification of potential hazards and implementation of preventive measures

Effective risk management in Regulatory Compliance & Legal Framework requires proactive hazard identification and preventive measures, not just reactive responses. This approach reduces incidents, improves outcomes, and protects both professionals and clients.

Question 44: Which federal statute creates legal liability for lean teams that knowingly submit false cost savings claims to obtain government contracts or grants?

The Trade Secrets Act
The Anti-Kickback Statute
The Procurement Integrity Act
The False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C. § 3729 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C. § 3729

The False Claims Act imposes treble damages and civil penalties on anyone who knowingly submits false or fraudulent claims for payment to the federal government, including inflated lean savings claims.

Question 45: How should a lean practitioner handle a stakeholder who uses anecdotes instead of data when opposing an improvement proposal?

Escalate to leadership to override the stakeholder's opinion
Agree with the stakeholder to avoid conflict
Acknowledge the anecdote, investigate whether it signals a real pattern, and bring evidence to a follow-up discussion (Correct answer)
Dismiss the anecdote as irrelevant and rely solely on your data

Correct answer: Acknowledge the anecdote, investigate whether it signals a real pattern, and bring evidence to a follow-up discussion

Anecdotes sometimes reveal real problems; lean practitioners investigate them with data before drawing conclusions, which also demonstrates respect for the stakeholder.

Question 46: In a lean maturity model, a score of 'Level 2 – Reactive' typically indicates:

Continuous improvement is embedded in daily management routines
Leadership actively mentors lean practitioners at all levels
Lean tools are applied enterprise-wide with sustained results
Problems are addressed only after they cause visible disruption (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Problems are addressed only after they cause visible disruption

Level 2 organizations use lean tools reactively in response to crises rather than proactively or systematically.

Question 47: What is a common challenge professionals face when applying strategic planning & goal setting principles in Lean Management Certification?

Excessive simplicity of industry regulations
Having too much support from colleagues
Lack of any professional development opportunities
Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application

Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application is a well-recognized challenge, as real-world scenarios often present complexities not covered in standard training.

Question 48: In ISO 9001-aligned lean systems, what distinguishes a 'document' from a 'record'?

Records are created by management; documents by operators
Documents expire; records do not
Documents state intent or requirements; records provide evidence of activities performed (Correct answer)
Documents are digital; records are paper-based

Correct answer: Documents state intent or requirements; records provide evidence of activities performed

Documents (procedures, work instructions) describe what should happen, while records (completed checklists, inspection logs) prove what did happen.

Question 49: In Lean quality improvement, 'mistake-proofing at the source' is preferred over 'inspection at the end' because:

End-of-line inspection is more expensive and allows defects to accumulate throughout production (Correct answer)
Inspection is always 100% accurate and eliminates rework
Mistake-proofing requires more operators to implement
End-of-line inspection provides better data for root cause analysis

Correct answer: End-of-line inspection is more expensive and allows defects to accumulate throughout production

Source mistake-proofing prevents defects from being produced in the first place, avoiding the cost and waste of processing nonconforming units through the entire production chain.

Question 50: What does a Cp value of 1.33 indicate about a process?

The process spread fits within the specification limits with a 33% margin of safety (Correct answer)
The process is not capable of meeting specifications
The process is barely capable with no margin
The process mean is centered at the specification midpoint

Correct answer: The process spread fits within the specification limits with a 33% margin of safety

Cp = 1.33 means the specification width is 1.33 times the process spread, providing good capability with safety margin.

Question 51: Which of the following best describes a 'catchball' process in hoshin kanri performance management?

A technique for catching defects before they reach the customer
A visual display of daily production targets
A back-and-forth dialogue between levels of the organization to align goals and metrics (Correct answer)
A method for distributing kanban cards across the production floor

Correct answer: A back-and-forth dialogue between levels of the organization to align goals and metrics

Catchball is the iterative negotiation between management levels to ensure strategic goals are translated into meaningful, achievable local metrics.

Question 52: Which scenario best illustrates the 'hidden factory' concept in Lean metrics?

A process with high first-pass yield but significant undocumented rework before final inspection (Correct answer)
A supplier producing parts at a different facility
A warehouse storing excess finished goods off-site
A machine running a second shift that is not on the production schedule

Correct answer: A process with high first-pass yield but significant undocumented rework before final inspection

The hidden factory refers to rework and correction activities that consume capacity but are invisible to traditional yield metrics.

Question 53: What does 'document control' mean in the context of a lean quality management system?

Converting paper documents to digital format
Limiting the number of documents employees can access
Archiving all documents after one year
Ensuring documents are approved, distributed, and revised in a controlled manner (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Ensuring documents are approved, distributed, and revised in a controlled manner

Document control ensures that only current, approved versions are in use and that changes follow a defined review and approval process.

Question 54: A lean practitioner who knowingly uses copyrighted training materials without a license is violating which professional standard?

Intellectual property and legal compliance standards (Correct answer)
Value stream mapping protocols
Gemba walk frequency guidelines
Continuous improvement obligation

Correct answer: Intellectual property and legal compliance standards

Professional ethics include compliance with intellectual property law; using unlicensed materials violates both legal and ethical standards.

Question 55: Which metric best captures how effectively a process converts available time into value-added output?

Throughput rate
Defect rate
Capacity utilization
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

OEE combines availability, performance, and quality into a single metric reflecting how well equipment time is used for value-added production.

Question 56: When evaluating changeover time as part of a SMED assessment, internal activities are defined as:

Tasks that can only be performed when the machine is stopped (Correct answer)
Quality checks performed after the first good piece
Administrative paperwork completed before the run
Tasks that can be done while the machine is still running

Correct answer: Tasks that can only be performed when the machine is stopped

Internal activities require the machine to be stopped, making them the primary target for SMED conversion to external tasks.

Question 57: Which of the following is a characteristic of a successful Lean implementation?

Daily reporting to executives
Top-down leadership with minimal input
Employee engagement and empowerment (Correct answer)
High capital investment

Correct answer: Employee engagement and empowerment

A successful Lean implementation heavily relies on employee engagement and empowerment. Frontline employees are often best positioned to identify waste and suggest improvements in their daily work. Empowering them to participate in problem-solving and decision-making fosters a culture of continuous improvement and ensures sustainable Lean practices throughout the organization.

Question 58: During a lean supply chain audit, a team discovers a tier-2 supplier uses materials that may trigger Dodd-Frank Act Section 1502 reporting obligations. What is the compliance requirement?

Immediately terminate the supplier contract
Report the issue only to state regulators
Conduct due diligence and file a Conflict Minerals Report with the SEC if the materials are necessary to product functionality (Correct answer)
Apply a customs duty surcharge to cover the risk

Correct answer: Conduct due diligence and file a Conflict Minerals Report with the SEC if the materials are necessary to product functionality

Dodd-Frank Section 1502 requires SEC-reporting companies to conduct supply chain due diligence and file a Conflict Minerals Report if covered minerals are used in manufactured products.

Question 59: What documentation practice is considered essential in Communication & Stakeholder Relations within the Lean Management field?

Only documenting unusual events or complications
Using shorthand notes that can be expanded later if needed
Completing all documentation at the end of the workday
Recording actions, observations, and outcomes in real-time or as close to the event as possible (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Recording actions, observations, and outcomes in real-time or as close to the event as possible

Real-time or near-real-time documentation in Communication & Stakeholder Relations ensures accuracy, provides a contemporaneous record, and is considered the gold standard for professional accountability and legal defensibility.

Question 60: In the DMAIC improvement cycle, during which phase are process capability studies and control charts most commonly established?

Control (Correct answer)
Measure
Analyze
Define

Correct answer: Control

The Control phase establishes monitoring systems like control charts to sustain improvements and detect future deviations.

Lean Management Certification (LMC)

The Lean Management Certification (LMC) validates knowledge of lean principles and management practices including waste elimination, continuous improvement, quality systems, and performance measurement. It assesses professionals on their ability to apply lean methodologies across organizational functions to drive efficiency and process excellence.

Questions

90 min

Time Limit

70%

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