Part 1: Management and Leadership

Question 1

A system improvement program based on the philosophy that one or more factors prevents a system from reaching a more desirable state is:

A) Lean Six Sigma
B) Six Sigma
C) Lean
D) Theory of Constraints

Answer 1

D - Theory of constraints

focuses on the system processes that keep the entire system from working at an improved state

Question 2

Which of the following is not part of the original Juran trilogy for quality?

A) Quality Audit
B) Quality Control
C) Quality Planning
D) Quality Improvement

Answer 2

A - Quality Audit

Question 3

According to the Juran trilogy, quality improvement is:

A) Monitoring techniques to correct sporadic problems
B) an annual quality program to institutionalize managerial control and review
C) a method that drive out fear so that everyone may work effectively
D) a breakthrough sequence to solve chronic problems

Answer 3

D - A breakthrough sequence to solve chronic problems (analogous to “common causes”)

Question 4

Which of the following is one of Deming’s 14 points?

A) Eliminate work standards that prescribe numerical quotas.
B) Institute barriers that stand between the hourly worker and his right to pride of workmanship
C) 85% of quality problems are due to the system
D) 15% of quality problems are due to management

Answer 4

A - Eliminate work standard that prescribe numerical quotas.

Per Deming, numerical quotas do not motivate the common worker and should be eliminated.

Question 5

Quality defined as “fitness for use” is attributed to what person:

A) Deming
B) Crosby
C) Feigenbaum
D) Juran

Answer 5

Juran

Question 6

SWOT is the acronym for:

Answer 6

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Question 7

Which of the following would be considered an effectiveness test for strategic planning?

A) Have modern methods of training on the job been instituted?
B) Have only those people who have experience in a particular job position been hired?
C) Are the goals and objectives aligned throughout the organization
D) None of the above

Answer 7

C - Goals and objective aligned throughout the organization

Question 8

In strategic planning/goals, the SMART acronym represents:

Answer 8

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based

Question 9

Critical path method (CPM) is:

A) A project management technique
B) part of the Kano quality model
C) one of Deming’s 14 points
D) Juran’s model for quality improvement

Answer 9

A - a project management technique (used for resource planning)

Question 10

Action plans as a part of the goals and objectives of a deployment technique are:

A) to continually build and retain a loyal customer base
B) to deliver all products to all customers 100% on time
C) detailed plans stating how, when, and by whom the objective will be achieved
D) None of the above

Answer 10

C - Detailed plans stating how, when, and by whom the objectives will be achieved.

Question 11

The process organizations use to evaluate their performance against their competition or best practices found internally is referred to as:

Answer 11

Benchmarking

Question 12

Benchmarking projects include which steps:

A) Planning, detection, analysis, and implementation
B) Planning, data collection, analysis, and implementation
C) Promotion, detection, analysis, and implementation
D) Promotion, data collection, analysis, and planning

Answer 12

B - Planning, data collection, analysis, implementation

Question 13

The owners of a company are the:

A) Stockholders
B) Executive Group
C) Suppliers
D) Customers

Answer 13

A - Stockholders

Question 14

Performance measures:

A) Should be achievable
B) do not need to be measurable
C) do not need to be lined to strategic objectives
D) Should focus on as many measures as possible

Answer 14

A - Should be achievable
and should be aligned with strategic goals. In addition, should focus on the ‘vital few’. One should avoid using too many metrics

Question 15

Which is NOT one of the four perspectives of a “balanced scorecard” proposed by Kaplan and Norton:

A) Financial fundamentals
B) Business Processes
C) Customer
D) Stockholders 
E) Learning and Growth

Answer 15

D - Stock holders

Question 16

Which of the following tools can be used for prioritizing projects

A) Net present value
B) Payback period
C) Internal rate of return
D) All of the above

Answer 16

D - All of the above

Question 17

Suppose we estimate the net present value (NPV) for a particular project. When we want to determine how the NPV will change if the interest rate decreases or increases, for example, by 5%, we are doing a type of:

A) Decision tree analysis
B) internal rate of return analysis
C) payback period analysis
D) sensitivity analysis

Answer 17

D - Sensitivity analysis

Examining metrics by varying the inputs (such as percentage, rate, etc.) in NPV

Question 18

A Gantt chart is a useful tool for:

A) Financial tool
B) planning tool
C) statistical analysis tool
D) none of the above

Answer 18

B - Planning tool

Question 19

What method allows for the analysis of normal time to complete a task and analysis of the longest timeline to complete a project?

A) Critical path method
B) Program evaluation and review technique
C) Gantt chart
D) None of the above

Answer 19

A - Critical path method

Question 20

Which of the following is a use of a quality information system?

A) Control a process
B) Monitor a process
C) Record critical data
D) A and B
E) A, B, and C

Answer 20

A, B, and C

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT one of the sections of the ASQ code of Ethics

A) Fundamental Principles
B) Relations with the Public
C) Quality Information Systems
D) Relations with Peers

Answer 21

C - Quality Information Systems

Question 22

Common development stages teams often progress through are known as “forming, storming, norming, performing. In the storming stage:

A) Individuals begin to shift from personal concerns to the needs of the team
B) The team’s mission is clarified and specific roles are identified
C) Team members still think and act as individuals instead of impacting as a team
D) The team has matured and is working in the best interest o f the team goals

Answer 22

C - Team members still think and act as individuals instead of impacting as a team

Question 23

Keeping a team on task is the main function of the:

A) Team leader
B) facilitator
C) team note taker
D) none of the above

Answer 23

B - Facilitators

Question 24

Part of the team facilitator’s mission is to

A) Discuss content issues with the team
B) Discuss process issues with the team
C) Suggest technical solutions to the team
D) None of the above

Answer 24

B - Discuss process issues with the team

A facilitator’s role should be marginal and grow less important as the team matures. Overall, the facilitator is responsible for process issues - meeting agendas, communication among teams, and keeping the team on task.

Question 25

A useful brainstorming tool for reducing a large list of items to a smaller manageable one is:

A) Quality function deployment (QFD)
B) fault tree analysis
C) nominal group technique
D) operating characteristic curve

Answer 25

C - Nominal group technique

The nominal group technique allows for brainstorming a large number of ideas/suggestions while providing everyone an equal voice in the process

Question 26

In the communication process, there are five methods of feedback: evaluation, interpretation, support, probing, and understanding. Of these methods, the one that most often creates defensiveness and can quickly break the communication process is:

A) Evaluation
B) Interpretation
C) Support
D) Probing
E) Understanding

Answer 26

A - Evaluation

All feed back methods can lead to some breakdown in communication, but EVALUATION involves judgements being made about the importance, worth, or appropriateness of the statement, is the one that will lead to breakdown much more quickly.

Question 27

A planning technique that translate customer requirements into technical requirements is:

A) Benchmarking
B) SWOT
C) Customer Satisfaction Surveys
D) Quality Function Deployment

Answer 27

D - Quality Function Deployment

QFD is a powerful tool for incorporating the voice of the customer and identifying the necessary technical requirements that will be necessary to satisfy customer requirements.

Question 28

“House of Quality” is a key diagram for:

A) Quality function deployment (QFD)
B) flowcharts
C) PERT
D) CPM

Answer 28

A - QFD

The house of quality is a diagram that incorporates the key relationships in the process

Question 29

The purpose of surveying a supplier is to determine if the supplier has:

A) Adequate financial resources
B) Adequate manufacturing capabilities
C) Adequate quality systems
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Answer 29

D - All of the above

Surveying and auditing are not the same activity, the purpose of the survey of a supplier is to make sure their financial resources as well as their manufacturing capabilities and quality systems are acceptable. These three arenas are surveyed by appropriate groups involved with each particular activity (manufacturing capability survey by manufacturing engineer for example)

Question 30

Implementing quality improvement in an organization can be a failure for a number of reasons. Which of the following is one obstacle to implementing quality?

A) Lack of real employee empowerment
B) Lack of a formal strategic plan for change
C) Lack of strong motivation
D) All of the above are obstacles
E) None of the above are obstacles

Answer 30

D - All of the above

There are 12 common barriers:

(1) lack of time to devote to quality initiatives
(2) poor interorganizational communication,
(3) lack of real employee empowerment
(4) lack of employee trust in senior management
(5) politics and turf issues
(6) Lack of a formalized strategic plan for change
(7) Lack of strong motivation
(8) view of quality as a quick fix
(9) Drive for short-term financial results
(10) lack of leadership
(11) Lack of customer focus
(12) Lack of company-wide definition of quality