MR Operations and Process Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which statistical tool is most appropriate for determining whether two variables have a linear relationship?
- Pareto chart
- Scatter diagram (Correct answer)
- Histogram
- Control chart
Correct answer: Scatter diagram
A scatter diagram plots pairs of data points to visually reveal the nature and strength of the relationship between two variables.
Question 2: In the context of ISO 9001, 'documented information' that must be retained as evidence of results is called:
- A procedure
- A work instruction
- A record (Correct answer)
- A policy
Correct answer: A record
ISO 9001 distinguishes between documented information that must be 'maintained' (documents) and that which must be 'retained' (records) as objective evidence.
Question 3: A management representative is reviewing process KPIs and notes cycle time has increased 15% over three months. The FIRST step should be to:
- Immediately implement a corrective action plan
- Conduct a root cause analysis to understand why cycle time increased (Correct answer)
- Revise the KPI target upward to reflect current performance
- Reassign process owners to improve accountability
Correct answer: Conduct a root cause analysis to understand why cycle time increased
Root cause analysis must precede corrective action to ensure solutions address the actual problem, not just its symptoms.
Question 4: Takt time in lean manufacturing is defined as:
- The time required to complete one production cycle at full speed
- Available production time divided by customer demand rate (Correct answer)
- The time between equipment failures
- Total lead time minus processing time
Correct answer: Available production time divided by customer demand rate
Takt time sets the pace of production to exactly match customer demand, preventing both overproduction and underproduction.
Question 5: Which type of process map shows decision points and alternative paths through a process?
- Swimlane diagram
- Flowchart (Correct answer)
- Affinity diagram
- Ishikawa diagram
Correct answer: Flowchart
Flowcharts use standardized symbols including diamond-shaped decision nodes to represent branching logic and alternative process paths.
Question 6: What is the key difference between common cause variation and special cause variation?
- Common cause is random and inherent to the process; special cause is assignable and from an external factor (Correct answer)
- Common cause requires immediate shutdown; special cause is acceptable
- Common cause is operator error; special cause is machine failure
- Common cause occurs rarely; special cause occurs constantly
Correct answer: Common cause is random and inherent to the process; special cause is assignable and from an external factor
Common cause variation is the natural, predictable noise in any stable process, while special cause variation is due to identifiable, non-random factors.
Question 7: The '5 Whys' technique is primarily used to:
- Prioritize a list of quality problems by frequency
- Drill down to the root cause of a problem by repeatedly asking why (Correct answer)
- Validate measurement system accuracy
- Identify customer requirements
Correct answer: Drill down to the root cause of a problem by repeatedly asking why
By asking 'Why?' multiple times in sequence, the 5 Whys technique moves past symptoms to uncover the fundamental root cause of an issue.
MR Operations and Process Management 3
Which statistical tool is most appropriate for determining whether two variables have a linear relationship?