Six Sigma Foundations and Principles Flashcards
What is Six Sigma?
A structured and disciplined process designed to consistently deliver perfect products and services.
What is the aim of six sigma?
To improve the bottom line by finding and eliminating the causes of mistakes and defects in business processes.
What is Sigma?
A statistical term that refers to the standard deviation of a process about its mean.
What does DMAIC stand for?
Define, measure, analyse, improve, control.
What are Bloom’s levels of cognition?
- Remember
- Understand
- Apply
- Analyse
- Evaluate
- Create
Processes require inputs and produce outputs. This is generally expressed as?
y=f(x)
Name 13 key tools used in the Define phase of DMAIC
- Is-is not
- Pareto
- Histogram
- Timeline
- Run chart
- Flowchart
- SIPOC diagram
- Stakeholder analysis
- Brainstorm
- Problem definition
- VOC table
- Kano diagram
- Project charter
What is the primary methodology used by Six Sigma practitioners?
DMAIC
How many defects per million opportunities does Six Sigma permit?
3.4
What amount of shift from the mean is permitted by Six Sigma?
1.5 sigma
What is the difference between six sigma and lean?
Six sigma eliminates process variation, while lean eliminates waste.
Which should be used first, lean, or six sigma?
Lean first, to remove waste, then six sigma to reduce variability.
Effectiveness before efficiency
What does PDCA stand for
Plan, Do, Check, Act
what does COQ stand for?
Cost of Quality
What does SIPOC stand for?
Supplier
Input
Process
Output
Customer
What is the SIPOC tool used for?
To describe and understand a process more clearly.
In SIPOC, what does “supplier” refer to?
The source of inputs.
In SIPOC, what does Customer refer to?
The recipient of the outputs.
What is the “Is-is not” tool used for?
Defining the problem by understanding what is not part of the problem.
What is the Timeline of events tool used for?
To understand the problem through a sequence of events;
one event leads to another.
What is the Trend Chart tool used for?
To understand process trends from historical event data.
What tool would one use to understand positive and negative process trends from historical event data?
Trend Chart
What is a Run Chart used for?
To identify patterns from multiple runs of the process.
non-random trend, oscillation, mixture and clustering
What tool would one use to understand process patterns from historical data.
A Run Chart
What is a Process Flowchart?
A graphical representation of the sequence of interrelated activities.
What tool would one use to graphically represent a sequence of interrelated activities?
A Process Flowchart
What is a Current State Map?
A process map that represents the current state of a process, including the non-value-adding steps.
What is a GANTT chart used for?
To manage schedules, resources, costs, and risks, used in Project Management.
What tool would one use to manage schedules, resources, costs and risks during Project Management?
A GANTT chart.
What is Stakeholder Analysis?
A tool used to understand who is influential to a project, coupled with their level of involvement.
What tool would one use to understand who is influential to a project?
Stakeholder Analysis.
What is a Data Collection Plan?
A document describing the what, why, where, when, who and how of data collection.
Prior to collecting data, having a detailed plan can make collection more effective.
What tool would one use to plan the collection of data?
A Data Collection Plan.
What is Measurement Systems Analysis?
Analysis of the capability of a measurement system (tools, methods, people, environment etc).
What tool would one use to analyse the capability of a measurement system?
Measurement Systems Analysis.
What is a Benchmark?
A baseline metric against which the performance of a process is measured.
What tool does one use to measure the performance of a process against a current baseline metric?
A Benchmark.
What is Process Capability?
The ability of a process to meet expected output - SIPOC
Often represented by Cp and Cpk. The higher the number the better.
What tool is used to measure the ability of a process to meet expected output?
Process Capability (Cp, Cpk)
What is why-why?
Method of continuing to ask “why” on a problem symptom until the root cause is reached.