Six Sigma Terms

Question 1

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Acceptable Quality Level

Answer 1

The quality expectation of the customer, internal or external. Will frequently be expresesd in terms of percentage defects.

Question 2

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Activity Report

Answer 2

A simple tool which enables teams and team leaders to manage project management tasks, responsibilities and timescales.

Question 3

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Affinity Diagram

Answer 3

A diagrammatic method of capturing, analysing and organising ideas, elements, activities, etc, that together represent or influence an overall category, such as a process or issue. Brainstorming is central to the affinity diagram.

Question 4

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Analysis

Answer 4

Analysis of data is critical to the Six Sigma model. Involves various analytical methods to identify and quantify the causes of quality variation and failure in specific processes.

Question 5

Define the following Six Sigma term:

ANOVA

Answer 5

Analysis of Variance - a specialized variation calculation method concerned with comparing means and testing hypotheses.

Question 6

Define the following Six Sigma term:

ANCOVA

Answer 6

Analysis of Covariance.

Question 7

Define the following Six Sigma term:

MANOVA

Answer 7

Multiple Analysis of Variance.

Question 8

Define the following Six Sigma term:

MANCOVA

Answer 8

Multiple Analysis of Covariance.

Question 9

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Balanced Scorecard

Answer 9

A sophisticated strategic analysis and improvement methodology developed by Kaplan and Norton. The Scorecard identifies, correlates, balances, measures, and drives improvement across a wide variety of factors that are deemed responsible for overall organizational effectiveness, and for meeting customer expectations.

Question 10

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Black Belt

Answer 10

A term to decribe a team leader and one who has achieved accredited Black Belt qualification via an appropriate training course.

Question 11

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Black Noise / White Noise

Answer 11

Technical terms relating to respectively non-random and random causes of variation.

Question 12

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Business Process Management

Answer 12

Identifying the key processes within the organization that determine effectively meeting customer expectations; then measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the processes and then initiating improvements in the weakest processes.

Question 13

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Cause-effect Diagram

Answer 13

A tool for mapping and analysing causal factors towards an end ouput.

Question 14

Define the following Six Sigma term:

CTQ

Answer 14

Critical to Quality - An element within a process that has a major influence on the process quality, and typically the quality of a critical process.

Question 15

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Defect

Answer 15

any failure in meeting customer expectation, any failure within the delivery process.

Question 16

Define the following Six Sigma term:

DFSS

Answer 16

Design for Six Sigma - the method of using tools, training, measurments, and verification so that products and processes are designed at the outset to meet Six Sigma requirements.

Question 17

Define the following Six Sigma term:

DMAICT

Answer 17

A method comprising of linked steps Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, Transfer.

Question 18

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Frequency Distribution Analysis

Answer 18

The sampling and collection of data over many operations and extended time perios, and the use of this data to indicate the frequency that a variation occurs rather than the size of isolated failures.

Question 19

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Green Belt

Answer 19

A team member who has received Green Belt training.

Question 20

Define the following Six Sigma term:

JIT

Answer 20

Just in Time - operational or production methods based on minimising stock levels, the aim of which is to reduce capital employed in stock, which also has knock-on benefits to reducing storage space, decreasing dependence on logistics, easier supply chain management, and better overall quality.

Question 21

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Master Black Belt

Answer 21

A highly qualified Six Sigma practitioner, typically concerned with overseeing Six Sigma activites from an organizational perspective.

Question 22

Define the following Six Sigma term:

MRP

Answer 22

Materials Requirements Planning - production quality management methodology focusing on planning stock levels and availability according to production schedules.

Question 23

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Process Mapping

Answer 23

Diagrammtical representation of how processes work, as could be used and developed in team meetings on a flip-chart, or other media, to enable teams to understand processes, participants, and where and how improvements might be made.

Question 24

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Production Planning

Answer 24

The over-arching methodology used in managing the supply process from receipt (or forecast) of customer requirements through to delivery notes and invoicing.

Question 25

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Soft Skills

Answer 25

Skills required for managing people, relationships, acceptance and effective communications.

Question 26

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Stakeholder

Answer 26

All the people who are affected by the solutions indentified within a Six Sigma project, and all the people with some involvement in implementing the solutions.

Question 27

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Tollgates

Answer 27

Breaks for review between Six Sigma processes within any of the DMAICT stages.

Question 28

Define the following Six Sigma term:

Tree Diagram

Answer 28

Pictoral representation of how a broad aim is broken down into detailed actions, and which belong to named individuals or departments. Promotes creative thinking towards detailed causes and effects and accountabilities.