MEM Quality Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What are the eight principles of quality management in ISO 9001?
- Cost, speed, efficiency, compliance, reliability, safety, innovation, sustainability
- Customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making, relationship management, and systems approach (Correct answer)
- Plan, Do, Check, Act, Measure, Improve, Control, Sustain
- Quality policy, objectives, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement, and review
Correct answer: Customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making, relationship management, and systems approach
ISO 9001's eight quality management principles provide the foundation for an effective QMS, centering on customers, leadership, people, processes, and continual improvement.
Question 2: What is 'Total Quality Management' (TQM)?
- A government certification program for quality engineers
- An organization-wide approach to continuously improving quality in all processes and products (Correct answer)
- A statistical tool for measuring defect rates in manufacturing
- A project management methodology focused solely on deliverable quality
Correct answer: An organization-wide approach to continuously improving quality in all processes and products
TQM is a comprehensive management philosophy that seeks to improve quality across all organizational functions through continual improvement, employee involvement, and customer focus.
Question 3: In Six Sigma, what does DMAIC stand for?
- Design, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
- Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (Correct answer)
- Define, Monitor, Assess, Implement, Check
- Develop, Measure, Apply, Integrate, Control
Correct answer: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) is the core Six Sigma methodology for improving existing processes by identifying and eliminating root causes of defects.
Question 4: What does 'sigma level' measure in Six Sigma quality management?
- The speed of process execution
- The number of defects per million opportunities (DPMO) in a process (Correct answer)
- The skill level of Six Sigma practitioners
- The cost of quality failures in a production run
Correct answer: The number of defects per million opportunities (DPMO) in a process
Sigma level quantifies process capability by measuring defects per million opportunities; 6 sigma corresponds to approximately 3.4 DPMO, indicating near-perfect quality.
Question 5: What is the 'cost of quality' (COQ) framework in engineering management?
- The budget allocated to the quality assurance department
- A framework categorizing all costs associated with preventing, appraising, and failing to meet quality standards (Correct answer)
- The certification fees for ISO 9001 compliance
- The cost of purchasing quality testing equipment
Correct answer: A framework categorizing all costs associated with preventing, appraising, and failing to meet quality standards
COQ categorizes quality costs into prevention costs (avoiding defects), appraisal costs (detecting defects), and failure costs (internal/external), helping justify quality investments.
Question 6: In statistical process control (SPC), what do control charts monitor?
- Financial performance against budget targets
- Process variation over time to distinguish normal variation from special-cause variation (Correct answer)
- Employee quality of work ratings
- Customer satisfaction scores over quarters
Correct answer: Process variation over time to distinguish normal variation from special-cause variation
Control charts plot process measurements over time with control limits, allowing engineers to detect when a process shifts from its natural (common cause) variation pattern.
MEM Quality Management 1
What are the eight principles of quality management in ISO 9001?