Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification Define and Measure Phases 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Black Belt is constructing a SIPOC diagram. Which element represents the people or organizations that receive the process output?
- Suppliers
- Inputs
- Process
- Customers (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Customers
In SIPOC, Customers are the recipients of the process output, whether internal or external.
Question 2: Which measurement system analysis statistic expresses gauge repeatability and reproducibility as a percentage of total study variation?
- %Tolerance
- %Study Variation (Correct answer)
- Number of Distinct Categories
- Bias
Correct answer: %Study Variation
%Study Variation compares the gauge R&R variation to the total observed variation in the study.
Question 3: A team wants to quantify the financial impact of poor quality including scrap, rework, and inspection costs. What is this measure called?
- Net Present Value
- Return on Investment
- Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) (Correct answer)
- Throughput Accounting
Correct answer: Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
COPQ captures all costs associated with producing defective products or services, including internal and external failure costs.
Question 4: During the Define phase, the team identifies that the project scope is too broad. What tool best helps narrow and communicate the revised boundaries?
- Fishbone diagram
- Project charter (Correct answer)
- Control chart
- FMEA
Correct answer: Project charter
The project charter formally documents project scope, objectives, timeline, and resources, making it the right vehicle for scope adjustments.
Question 5: What type of data is generated when a technician records the number of defects per printed circuit board?
- Continuous data
- Attribute data — proportion defective
- Discrete count data (Correct answer)
- Ordinal data
Correct answer: Discrete count data
Counting defects per unit produces discrete (count) data, which follows a Poisson distribution rather than a binomial.
Question 6: A process has a Cp of 1.5 but a Cpk of 0.8. What does this indicate?
- The process is centered but not capable
- The process is capable but not centered (Correct answer)
- Both spread and centering are acceptable
- The measurement system is inadequate
Correct answer: The process is capable but not centered
Cp measures potential capability (spread only) while Cpk accounts for centering; a high Cp with low Cpk means the process has adequate spread but is off-center.
Question 7: Which stakeholder analysis tool maps individuals by their level of influence and their current support for the project?
- RACI matrix
- Stakeholder influence-interest grid (Correct answer)
- Communication plan
- Value stream map
Correct answer: Stakeholder influence-interest grid
The influence-interest (or power-interest) grid plots stakeholders to prioritize engagement strategies based on their power and attitude.
