Quality

Question 1

Using this data analysis technique, the PM analyzes the benefits versus the costs of quality efforts to determine the appropriate quality level and requirements for the project.

Answer 1

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Question 2

What involves continuously looking for ways to improve the quality of work, processes, and results?

What are (3) approaches to this?

Answer 2

Continuous Improvement

1. Kaizen
2. Total Quality Management
3. Six Sigma

Question 3

This is a subset of lead time that measures how long something takes to go through part of the process, such as from product assembly to painting, or from coding to testing.

Answer 3

Cycle Time

* Lead time is how long it takes for the entire process, and cycle time is how long it takes for one component of that process.

Question 4

This is an important mechanism for identifying quality problems. Note that the key question in this meeting asks whether there are any problems or impediments to project work. The purpose of this question is to bring potential issues and problems to the surface early - rather than waiting until an issue of schedule delay occurs.

Answer 4

Daily Stand-Up

Question 5

This technique can be used for alternatives analysis and can quickly discover optimal conditions in which to produce a quality deliverable. Experimentation is performed to determine statistically what variables will improve quality.

Answer 5

Design of Experiments (DOE)

Question 6

This tool shows data in the form of bars or columns. A typical one presents data in no particular order and without reference to time.

Answer 6

Histogram

Question 7

What is the amount of work that can be processed through a system in a given amount of time - such as the amount of work the team can get done in one iteration?

Answer 7

Throughput

Question 8

The process is out of a state of statistical control under either of two circumstances:

Answer 8

• A data point falls outside of the upper and lower control limit
• There are nonrandom data points; these may be within the upper and lower control limits, such as the Rule of Seven

Question 9

What are shown as two dashed lines and are the acceptable range of variation of a process or measurement’s results? These also indicate what is stable versus unstable (out of control).

Answer 9

Upper and Lower Control Limits

Question 10

__________ should be planned into a project, not inspected in.

Answer 10

Quality

* Prevention over inspection *

Question 11

This is a diagnostic tool that can be used to help identify and diagnose problems. This concept measures how long something takes to go through the entire process, for example, from design to shipping, or from requirements gathering through development to deployment.

Answer 11

Lead Time

Question 12

Evaluating this means making sure the project is not spending too much to achieve a particular level of quality. It involves looking at the cost of conformance and non-conformance to quality will be on the project and creating an appropriate balance.

Answer 12

Cost of Quality (COQ)

Question 13

Discovering quality issues as soon as possible typically allows them to be resolved more quickly, which means less rework and added costs that may impact the project. What concept is being described?

Answer 13

Cost of Change

Question 14

The objectives of this process are to identify all relevant organizational or industry practices, standards, and requirements for the quality of the project and its product, and then to plan how to meet those standards and requirements.

Answer 14

Plan Quality Management

Question 15

This rule is a general rule, or heuristic. It refers to a group or series of nonrandom data points that total seven on one side of the mean. This rule tells you that, although none of these points are outside of the control limits, they are not random, and the process is out of control.

Answer 15

Rule of Seven

Question 16

Who has the ultimate accountability for the quality of the product of the project?

Answer 16

PM

Question 17

What is a function of WIP and throughput and can be calculated mathematically?

Answer 17

Cycle Time

* Cycle time = WIP / Throughput

Question 18

What is the term for things that are being worked on but not finished yet?

Answer 18

WIP - Work in Progress

Question 19

This technique can help you organize and group the results of root cause analysis.

Answer 19

Affinity Diagram

Question 20

This term means that the probability of one event occurring does not affect the probability of another event occurring.

Answer 20

Statistical Independence

Question 21

While control limits represent the performing orgainzation’s standards for quality, these represent the customer’s expectations - or the contractural requirements - for performance and quality on the project.

Answer 21

Specification Limits

* On the exam, assume that specification limits are outside the upper and lower control limits.

Question 22

The __________ is indicated by a line in the middle of the control chart. It shows the middle of the range of acceptable variation. A normal distirbution curve represents the acceptable range of variance around a __________, and it falls within the boundaries of the control limits.

Answer 22

Mean (Average)

Question 23

This is a meeting that may be held after a release, or even the entire project. This term most often refers to the meeting that is held at the end of each short, time-boxed iteration of product development.

Answer 23

Retrospective

Question 24

This cause or variation signifies that a process is out of control. If this does occur, it means a data point, or a series of data points, requires investigation to determine the cause of the variation.

Answer 24

Assignable Cause / Special Cause Variation

Question 25

This is part of the continuous improvement effort and focuses on identifying improvements that might be needed in project processes.

Answer 25

Process Analysis

Question 26

One measure of a range is its __________ __________ (or Sigma). It denotes what would be considered a statistically stable process or output.

Answer 26

Standard Deviation

Question 27

What is the definition of quality?

Answer 27

Quality is defined as the degree to which the project fulfills requirements.

Question 28

What are the (6) steps used to analyze quality (and other) problems?

Answer 28

1. Define the real or root problem - not what is presented to you or what appears to be the problem.
2. Analyze the problem.
3. Identify solutions.
4. Pick a solution.
5. Implement a solution.
6. Review the solution, and confirm that the solution solved the problem.

Question 29

__________ __________ involves reviewing the results of testing and other quality reports to identfy ways in which the quality management plan and processes may not be supporting the production of deliverables that meet the project quality requirements.

Answer 29

Document Analysis

Question 30

This tool is a commonly used type of histogram that arranges the results from most frequent to least frequent to help identify which root causes are resulting in the most problems.

Answer 30

Pareto Chart/Diagram

* Pareto principle - 80 percent of problems are due to 20 percent of the root causes.

Question 31

Agile uses regular testing, checkpoints, and reviews to address issues. What is this practice referred to as?

Answer 31

Frequent Verification and Validation

Question 32

__________ means having suppliers deliver resources just before they are needed, thus decreasing inventory to nearly zero and decreasing unnecessary cost. This system forces attention on quality as well as schedule.

Answer 32

Just in Time (JIT)